In academia, we have been aware of Rufo for some time, and his ”work” at the New School in Florida. He is also a big proponent of bringing back intelligent design to science classrooms. Hopefully, his wagon is hitched too tightly to DeSantis. His overall objective is worse than some think, as he is looking to delegitimize a bulk of the social sciences including U.S. History and psychology. The goal is to defrock scores of academics who have shown that ”history” does not always stand up to critical thinking. The right says that leftists dominate these areas, but it only starts with attacking DEI initiatives and Gender Studies because they appear ”left-leaning”. They will try to work their way through history and, eventually economics and similar fields.
Most of the scientific disciplines should hold up in the short term - engineering, applied sciences, and any person who can build new things and dream up new weapons would be safe. I'm not as sure about the biological sciences, as evolution remains an enemy of evangelicals, as well as what we consider standard medical practice in 2024.
In the end it is an effort to knock down people who have devoted their lives to truth, knowledge, and equality above all else. My work involves not only teaching students practical and useful skills, but more importantly an appreciation for rational, critical thinking that the sciences absolutely help us all improve.
Critical thinking as a human trait and nurtured skill has always been and will always be the enemy of authoritarianism. They have always moved to silence higher education, and it is happening once again. The reasons are the same - a need for obedience in society as opposed to free speech and access to information, a desire for conformity. The only way to achieve those ends is to persecute and disappear from society those who will not conform.
In academia, we have been aware of Rufo for some time, and his ”work” at the New School in Florida. He is also a big proponent of bringing back intelligent design to science classrooms. Hopefully, his wagon is hitched too tightly to DeSantis. His overall objective is worse than some think, as he is looking to delegitimize a bulk of the social sciences including U.S. History and psychology. The goal is to defrock scores of academics who have shown that ”history” does not always stand up to critical thinking. The right says that leftists dominate these areas, but it only starts with attacking DEI initiatives and Gender Studies because they appear ”left-leaning”. They will try to work their way through history and, eventually economics and similar fields.
Most of the scientific disciplines should hold up in the short term - engineering, applied sciences, and any person who can build new things and dream up new weapons would be safe. I'm not as sure about the biological sciences, as evolution remains an enemy of evangelicals, as well as what we consider standard medical practice in 2024.
In the end it is an effort to knock down people who have devoted their lives to truth, knowledge, and equality above all else. My work involves not only teaching students practical and useful skills, but more importantly an appreciation for rational, critical thinking that the sciences absolutely help us all improve.
Critical thinking as a human trait and nurtured skill has always been and will always be the enemy of authoritarianism. They have always moved to silence higher education, and it is happening once again. The reasons are the same - a need for obedience in society as opposed to free speech and access to information, a desire for conformity. The only way to achieve those ends is to persecute and disappear from society those who will not conform.
Thanks so much for all of this info on Rufo, Marisa! Very important perspective.
But there's more to the story of Ackman and his plagiarizing wife, Neri Oxman.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/04/business/bill-ackman-wife-plagiarism/index.html
I look forward to reading more from you on this story!
The least objectionable thing you can say about Rufo is that his name is uncomfortably close to "roofie".