Category Archives: Academic Freedom

Franco-American Culture Wars

Posted on March 2, 2021 by briansandberg

American multiculturalism and intellectual influences are increasingly threatening French identity, according to French President Macron and his ministers. The New York Times reports on the developing Franco-American Culture Wars: “Stepping up its attacks on social science theories that it says … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Cultural History, European History, European Union, French History, French Revolution and Napoleon, French Wars of Religion, History of Race and Racism, Human Rights, Political Culture, Women and Gender History | 1 Comment

French Academic Societies Condemn the Killing of History Teacher

Posted on October 20, 2020 by briansandberg

A number of French academic societies have issued statements condemning the killing of Samuel Paty, a history teacher who was brutally murdered by an Islamist militant on Friday. Paty was apparently targeted for showing cartoons of Muhammad, which had been … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Atrocities, European History, European Union, French History, History in the Media, History of Violence, Human Rights, Humanities Education, Idea of Europe, Paris History, Political Culture, Terrorism | Leave a comment

Je suis enseignant Rallies in France

Posted on October 18, 2020 by briansandberg

Tens of thousands of French citizens are rallying today in memory of Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher, who was brutally murdered on Friday near the collège (middle school) where he taught. Rally in memory of Samuel Paty in … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Atrocities, European History, European Union, French History, History of Race and Racism, History of Violence, Humanities Education, Idea of Europe, Political Culture, Religious History, Religious Politics, Religious Violence | Leave a comment

Attack on History Teacher near Paris

Posted on October 17, 2020 by briansandberg

I was deeply saddened to hear of yesterday’s horrific attack on Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, near Paris, who was brutally killed and beheaded by an 18-year-old militant after leaving the collège (middle school) where he … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, European History, European Union, French History, History of Race and Racism, History of Violence, Humanities Education, Idea of Europe, Paris History, Political Culture, Religious History, Religious Politics, Religious Violence | Leave a comment

Racist Vandalism on Campus

Posted on September 18, 2020 by briansandberg

I was saddened and angered to hear of the racist vandalism on Northern Illinois campus early yesterday (Thursday 17 September 2020) morning, when someone spray-painted racist slurs on the Center for Black Studies in an act of targeted vandalism. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Cultural History, Empires and Imperialism, Globalization, History of Race and Racism, History of Violence, Human Rights, Illinois History and Society, Northern Illinois University, Political Culture, Social History, United States History and Society, World History | Leave a comment

“Time for Another Kent State”? Politicians Target Campuses for Violence

Posted on February 8, 2019 by briansandberg

Politicians are targeting university campuses for repressive violence. One of the of the most shocking recent incitements to violence against students came in 2017, when Dan Adamini (Republican), Secretary of the Marquette County Republican Party, advocated using firearms to stop … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Arms Control, Civil Conflict, Conferences, History in the Media, History of Violence, Human Rights, Northern Illinois University, Peacemaking Processes, Political Culture, Terrorism, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

State-Assisted Education

Posted on March 6, 2015 by briansandberg

Are we heading toward the end of public education in the United States? In state after state, state legislatures are slashing their already meager funding for formerly public institutions of higher education, essentially privatizing them. Most state universities should be … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Education Policy, Humanities Education, Northern Illinois University | Leave a comment

History Wars Continue

Posted on February 23, 2015 by briansandberg

In the 1990s, one theater of the “Culture Wars” became dubbed the “History Wars,” as politicians and political interest groups attempted to influence or control the presentation of historical events and developments in high school textbooks, college curricula, and museum … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Academic Publishing, Education Policy, History in the Media, Humanities Education | Leave a comment

The Problem with Bill Gates and ‘Big History’

Posted on September 9, 2014 by briansandberg

When Bill Gates heads to the gym, he gets big ideas. One day at the gym, Bill Gates was watching a DVD on Big History by Professor David Christian. “As Gates sweated away on his treadmill, he found himself marveling … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Digital Humanities, Education Policy, Humanities Education, The Past Alive: Teaching History, Undergraduate Work in History | 2 Comments

Defending the Humanities and the Idea of America

Posted on August 5, 2013 by briansandberg

Carol Geary Schneider (President of the Association of American Colleges and Universities) and David Townsend (Senior Advisor for Seminars of the Aspen Institute, and Director of Wye Seminars on Citizenship in the American and Global Polity) have proposed a new … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Education Policy, Humanities Education | Leave a comment