women's studies Archives — The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

Gender Studies’ Value Is Under Question—And for Good Reason

Jan 30, 2019 · Carrie Lukas · No Comments

“Class discussions trend towards group-therapy sessions,” wrote Toni Airaksinen in 2016 for Quillette. At the time, she was studying at Barnard College and described moving from an initial infatuation with gender studies to seeing it as an “absurd intellectual alcove where objective truth is subordinate to academic theories used as political propaganda.” This lack of … Continue reading “Gender Studies’ Value Is Under Question—And for Good Reason”

How the Academy Is Failing Feminism

Apr 10, 2017 · Shannon Watkins · 31 Comments

Christina Hoff Sommers, also known as YouTube’s “Factual Feminist,” spoke last Wednesday at UNC Chapel Hill. Her talk, titled “The Failures of Feminism,” was sponsored by the UNC College Republicans. The former philosophy professor and author of Who Stole Feminism: How Women Have Betrayed Women lamented how, in her view, the academy is radicalizing feminism … Continue reading “How the Academy Is Failing Feminism”

Law Schools Need to Adapt to Big Data and Technological Change Feb 15, 2019
Law is experiencing a revolution. Several changes are occurring, but they are all tied to the impact of information and communications technology (ICT), which is altering the nature of law at a fundamental level. This has happened in the past. Before the commercial printing press, for example, law was mostly simple legal treatises and maxims. … Continue reading “Law Schools Need to Adapt to Big Data and Technological Change”
Did the Hoaxers Do Anything Wrong? Feb 13, 2019
One of the three “Sokal Squared” academic hoaxers, Peter Boghossian of Portland State University, has been accused of violating his university’s research policies. Boghossian is the only one of the three to hold an (untenured) academic position and so is the only one vulnerable to disciplinary action. Boghossian and his compatriots parodied fashionable social-“science” research; … Continue reading “Did the Hoaxers Do Anything Wrong?”
The Costs and Benefits of College for an Entrepreneur Feb 8, 2019
Launching a business is always a risk. And for young entrepreneurs, their path to success isn’t clear. But the long-debated question of whether an individual should jump right into running an infant business remains focused on one question: is a university education required for someone to be a successful entrepreneur? “The short answer to your … Continue reading “The Costs and Benefits of College for an Entrepreneur”

Did the Hoaxers Do Anything Wrong? Feb 13, 2019
One of the three “Sokal Squared” academic hoaxers, Peter Boghossian of Portland State University, has been accused of violating his university’s research policies. Boghossian is the only one of the three to hold an (untenured) academic position and so is the only one vulnerable to disciplinary action. Boghossian and his compatriots parodied fashionable social-“science” research; … Continue reading “Did the Hoaxers Do Anything Wrong?”
Arts Everywhere: Distracting from a UNC Scandal Feb 11, 2019
Although the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s former chancellor, Carol Folt, will mostly be remembered for the numerous scandals and years-long protests on campus during her tenure, she also leaves behind other less-publicized, but still controversial, projects. One of those projects she oversaw is Arts Everywhere, a “campus-wide arts initiative supported by the … Continue reading “Arts Everywhere: Distracting from a UNC Scandal”
The Slippery Slope of Speech Suppression at CUNY Feb 6, 2019
Public universities morally should and legally must uphold free speech. Unfortunately, the university where I’ve taught for 43 years has a very bad record, and matters are getting worse. The City University of New York (CUNY) has a long history of speech suppression, as a sampling of legal cases at its various campus units reveals. … Continue reading “The Slippery Slope of Speech Suppression at CUNY”

Don’t Hire the Illusion: Screening Candidates for UNC Chancellor Feb 18, 2019
When hiring new workers, one of the overriding concerns for a company is ensuring that they hire the right people with the right qualifications. It’s the same for higher education. True, universities are dedicated to education and research, not business, but they are often institutions with billion-dollar budgets and many people with access to funds … Continue reading “Don’t Hire the Illusion: Screening Candidates for UNC Chancellor”
Law Schools Need to Adapt to Big Data and Technological Change Feb 15, 2019
Law is experiencing a revolution. Several changes are occurring, but they are all tied to the impact of information and communications technology (ICT), which is altering the nature of law at a fundamental level. This has happened in the past. Before the commercial printing press, for example, law was mostly simple legal treatises and maxims. … Continue reading “Law Schools Need to Adapt to Big Data and Technological Change”
Did the Hoaxers Do Anything Wrong? Feb 13, 2019
One of the three “Sokal Squared” academic hoaxers, Peter Boghossian of Portland State University, has been accused of violating his university’s research policies. Boghossian is the only one of the three to hold an (untenured) academic position and so is the only one vulnerable to disciplinary action. Boghossian and his compatriots parodied fashionable social-“science” research; … Continue reading “Did the Hoaxers Do Anything Wrong?”