Special issue on political Islam.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
What Happened to Arab Feminism?
Feb 23rd, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Lee Smith says Arab states typically use Islam to restrict women’s rights. … Read the rest
Another Installment
Feb 21st, 2004 7:16 pm | By Ophelia BensonI suppose you’re thinking I’ve fallen silent. That, exhausted by all the to-and-fro, the heat and light, the blood sweat and tears of late, I’ve shrugged and yawned and decided to take up ping pong in a serious way.
No I don’t, not really, I don’t suppose you’re thinking about it one way or another, on account of how you have better things to think about. I just like to say things like that. I only do it to annoy, because I know it teases. At any rate, no, I haven’t fallen silent. On the contrary, I had a whole stack of things to talk about on Thursday, along with the ones I didn’t get to last week – and … Read the rest
Statement by Concerned Scientists
Feb 21st, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Call for restoring scientific integrity to federal policymaking.… Read the rest
Policy Goals Trump Science
Feb 21st, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Prominent scientists issue statement saying Bush administration distorts facts.… Read the rest
That Sums it Up
Feb 21st, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A cartoon on how to do science.… Read the rest
Eight Commentators on the Hijab
Feb 21st, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A range of views.… Read the rest
Sharing Dislike of Repressive Practices
Feb 21st, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Veil-wearing feminist and anti-veil feminist failing to understand one another.… Read the rest
Journal Regrets MMR Autism Paper
Feb 20th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Paper should never have been published, concedes Lancet editor.… Read the rest
Government to Proceed With GM Maize
Feb 20th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Despite public opposition, there is no scientific case for a ban.… Read the rest
Twenty Years On
Feb 20th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Naomi Wolf’s new book claims sexual harrassment at Yale two decades ago.… Read the rest
Freud Was Fantastically Wrong
Feb 19th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Academics have been infinitely creative in their efforts to whitewash his errors. … Read the rest
A Fun Project
Feb 18th, 2004 9:05 pm | By Ophelia BensonI linked a few days ago to an excellent article by Chris Mooney about a long article promoting ‘Intelligent Design’ in the Harvard Law Review. It’s worrisome stuff.
… Read the restStill, you can understand why a rave review in the Harvard Law Review would get the ID crowd excited. Such a publication represents intellectual legitimization of a sort that traditional creationists never achieved. “The whole game plan here is to credential the movement,” observes Florida State University law professor Steven Gey, a specialist in legal issues surrounding the teaching of evolution. Gey calls the Harvard Law Review piece “very weak” in its assessment of the legal case for teaching ID in public schools. But he adds, “I suspect this Harvard note
Colloquy With David Horowitz
Feb 18th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
How would the promotion of ‘intellectual diversity’ actually work? Many questions.… Read the rest
Political Standards versus Academic Criteria
Feb 18th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Would Horowitz’ plan invite too much meddling by the state in academic matters?… Read the rest
Aux Armes, Intellectuels!
Feb 18th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Petition accuses French centre-right government of war on intelligence.… Read the rest
Intellectual Diversity
Feb 18th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
David Horowitz wants to clarify and extend existing principles of academic freedom.… Read the rest
We Need Not More Theory but More Mettle
Feb 18th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If you’re going to teach ethics, teach about self-deception.… Read the rest
Sleeping In An Age Of Waiting
Feb 17th, 2004 11:28 pm | By Ophelia BensonOkay, so it’s obvious that the Deluded Socialists are a bit odd. I mean look at their names for starters (P. Traven, D.S. Burton, P. S. Burton, Ben Illin, et al). What’s with the Burton twins? I can’t believe they’re married – after all that’s hardly revolutionary – but I’d lay odds that they’ve both adopted “Socialist” as a middle name. Shame they’re named after a gentleman’s clothing outlet, though.
But what is striking is just that they are extraordinarily boring. Now, it’s a truth almost universally acknowledged that there isn’t going to be a socialist revolution any time soon (well, at all, really). And sure, Marxist theory is pretty much a joke – and hell, I’ve read an awful … Read the rest
The Hazlitt Comparison
Feb 17th, 2004 10:56 pm | By Ophelia BensonYou may remember that I talked about Hazlitt’s Letter to Gifford recently. I forget what made me think of it then – I think it was something I was discussing with Scott McLemee, but I misremember what. Something has put it in my head again. Memory is an odd thing. Anyway, this is what I said last time. Somehow I just feel like saying it again.
The letter to Gifford starts off briskly:
Sir, You have an ugly trick of saying what is not true of any one you do not like; and it will be the object of this letter to cure you of it.
There are so many people around who have that ugly trick, these days. How … Read the rest