‘A People’s History is bad history, albeit gilded with virtuous intentions.’… Read the rest
Lewis Wolpert on What Science Is
Mar 25th, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIt’s not common sense, for one thing.… Read the rest
The Panda’s Thumb
Mar 25th, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘dedicated to defending the integrity of science against all attempts to weaken it, distort it, or destroy it.’… Read the rest
Kevin Drum on Intelligent Design
Mar 25th, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHe says it isn’t, and introduces The Panda’s Thumb. … Read the rest
Two People Die at ‘Passion’ Screenings
Mar 25th, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHeart attacks during the torture scene. Just a coincidence?… Read the rest
Monty Python to the Rescue
Mar 25th, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonTired of Passion-passion? See Life of Brian instead.… Read the rest
The Pledge, the Deity, the Court
Mar 25th, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonPledge is not religious, it’s patriotic, says Bush administration.… Read the rest
An Interlude
Mar 24th, 2004 5:15 pm | By Ophelia BensonRight, well as long as I’m in a plaintive vein, a threnodic vein, a sorrowful, plangent, mournful, whingey vein – I think I’ll just take a moment to ponder the grief of living in an out of the way corner of the world. And corner it is, too; tucked or rather jammed up in the far far far northwest corner of the whole damn country, not on the way to anywhere except Alaska (and maybe Japan but only if you’re starting from Idaho). It’s not Los Angeles, it’s not San Francisco, and it sure as hell is not New York or Paris or London. It’s not central. It’s not a capital. It’s not a place where things happen and interesting … Read the rest
India Times on Laine Issue
Mar 24th, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMaharashtra seeking Interpol’s help in arrest of author.… Read the rest
Congress Party Joins in the Fun
Mar 24th, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonGoing after the Sena-BJP vote, Congress tries to outdo them in threatening author.… Read the rest
Indian State Seeks to Arrest Author
Mar 24th, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHe said bad things about Shivaji, so bust him.… Read the rest
The State of the State of Feminism
Mar 24th, 2004 | By Cassandra L. PinnickMartha C. Nussbaum’s new book, “Sex and Social Justice,” makes a case for liberal feminism.
More than a generation ago, women’s rights established a foothold in U.S. politics. Women’s rights included primarily, though not exclusively, a concern for equal treatment under the law; this in turn focused down to two areas of central concern: equality in access to educational opportunity and equality in compensational structure and career opportunities.
Persons, male as well as female, who supported and campaigned for women’s rights were, and are, feminists. There are few persons today who would openly oppose the general principles of equality that drive feminism.
Feminist political theory has since developed apace. Feminists who believe in the power of legislative and case law … Read the rest
Ave atque Vale, Invisible Adjunct
Mar 24th, 2004 12:02 am | By Ophelia BensonDamn! Invisible Adjunct is packing it in. Rolling up the carpets, unplugging the lamps, feeding the leftover cake to the cat. In short, leaving. Leaving both blogging and adjuncting. I don’t know which is sadder. Well yes I do – the latter is. Presumably it was more important to her, so it’s worse that the world of academe closed her out. My Cliopatria colleague Ralph Luker and IA’s real world history teaching colleague is angry about it.
… Read the restI am stunned! Angry, first of all, at the academy and more particularly at the history profession for its failure. And, yes, it is the profession’s failure, not IA’s. Deeply sorry, secondly, for the loss of a humane and deeply thoughtful voice in
Shivaji Making Waves Again
Mar 23rd, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonBJP leaders in Maharashtra call for ban on Nehru book that ‘demeans’ Shivaji.… Read the rest
Life Among the Lexicographers
Mar 23rd, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCompiling a dictionary of regional English, and what one learns thereby.… Read the rest
The Court, the Pledge, the Deity
Mar 23rd, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhat does the word ‘God’ mean, anyway?… Read the rest
Philip Stott on What Ails Academics
Mar 22nd, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonFeuds, rivalries, pecking orders, nasty remarks – too much like kindergarten.… Read the rest
Certification in Three Days?
Mar 22nd, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonTo many philosophical counselors, Lou Marinoff is an embarrassment.… Read the rest
Astronauts Regret Doom of Hubble
Mar 22nd, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonRepair mission worth the risk and they would do it again, astronauts say.… Read the rest
Wilentz, Wills, Jefferson
Mar 22nd, 2004 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIs revisionist history recapitulating partisan Federalist politics?… Read the rest