Over the last six weeks, there has been a wave of protests on university campuses throughout the country, occasioned by the ongoing Israel-Hamas War. In this “emergency” episode, my cohost Clark Elliston and I talk about these protests and their significance for higher education. Our goal here is not to delve into the war as such—an analysis better left to political scientists—but to ask why universities (especially elite universities) have become cultural flashpoints and what this phenomenon means for the future of the humanities. This is something of an impromptu conversation—and yet one worth having all the same. As always, see cbarnett.substack.com for more details and content!
JUST FYI POD: Conversations about Culture, Ideas, and Life