The view that the Faculty at most Universities and Colleges lean "left" has become something of a truism, and given how one defines "left", also true. Multiple surveys have documented that University and College Faculty, especially in the Humanities and Social Sciences, identify as Democrats of Liberals, and do so disproportionately and overwhelmingly in comparison … Continue reading Against Post-Progressive Social Sciences
Author: Citizen Rat
I teach courses in Economics and International Relations at Shawnee State University, a small public University in Southern Ohio. I also teach and train in Shotokan Karate.The opinions expressed on this blog are my own opinions and do not represent the views of my University or any other organization.
The absence of Molotov Cocktails
I've written before about how the radical right exaggerates and distorts both centrist liberal as well as actual left wing ideas in part by attempting to conflate the two, but also by misrepresenting varieties of leftism and liberalism. The radical right has returned (if indeed they ever left) to the smear tactics of the McCarthy … Continue reading The absence of Molotov Cocktails
Is Trump Breaking the Wheel?
Stocks are sliding again today. They will most likely finish today a bit higher than their low on Tuesday, but most of the gains from Wednesday will be gone. I've been bearish, in fact probably overly bearish, on stocks for a long time. Hence a correction in stock prices doesn't worry me. The correction in … Continue reading Is Trump Breaking the Wheel?
Trying to make sense of Trump Tariffs? Don’t.
As of today, the Trump administration has announced a series of "reciprocal tariffs". The tariffs range from a low of 10% on Colombia, to a high of 46% on Vietnam. What the Trump administration means by "reciprocal tariffs" and how it calculates reciprocal tariffs can be found here . If until now you have thought … Continue reading Trying to make sense of Trump Tariffs? Don’t.
Taking Marx Seriously: The Right, Less So
In reading various Conservative pundits, one might be pardoned for believing that there has been a surge of support for Socialism in the US. over the last decade. Similarly, in listening to the rantings our mad king, one might be led to the belief that the US has been suddenly overwhelmed by a surge of … Continue reading Taking Marx Seriously: The Right, Less So
Ohio
As protests against Israel's actions in Gaza coupled with demands that Universities divest from companies doing business with Israel spread, there has been increasing political pressure by Congress on University Presidents to crack down on alleged anti-semitic speech. Though the situation that has given the immediate impetus to the protests merits a lengthy analysis of … Continue reading Ohio
Matters of Public Concern
I've written before about how Garcetti v. Ceballos makes virtually any speech by a public employee potentially subject to sanction but is a particular disaster when applied to Higher Ed. What the Supreme Court may someday make of the mess it created is yet to be determined. But in a ruling regarding my own University, Meriwether … Continue reading Matters of Public Concern
To live outside the law you must be honest: Reflections on how to be a good multi-polarista.
In this post I offer some thoughts on the challenges and dilemmas public intellectuals and activists face in trying to be good Multi-Polaristas. This post is intended more in the way of personal reflections, rather than as rigorous analysis. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, we have been living in a uni-polar … Continue reading To live outside the law you must be honest: Reflections on how to be a good multi-polarista.
Ohio’s SB 83 and the Pall of Orthodoxies
The latest salvo in the right's war of position has been fired in the State of Ohio in the form of SB 83. It is a no good, horrible, terrible, awful bill. It's passage will effectively make academic freedom and due process a dead letter in Ohio's State Universities.
Ukraine and Marking Beliefs to Reality
The counter offensives by Ukraine in the Kherson region in the South and now in the Kharkiv-Izyum area have been expected for some time. While the southern operation might reasonably be said to be a failure (at least at this point) the counter offensive in the North has been relatively successful. In my previous posts … Continue reading Ukraine and Marking Beliefs to Reality
Citizen Rat 