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French on Finkelstein
Writing at Phi Beta Cons, David French echoes the sentiments expressed on this blog yesterday regarding DePaul's unfortunate evocation of collegiality criteria in Norman Finkelstein's tenure case:
... it is dangerous to fundamental principles of academic freedom and free speech to make a professor's entire academic career hinge upon something so ephemeral as "civility." By any fair definition of the term, Finkelstein is uncivil--even vicious--towards his critics. Yet just as bad facts make bad law, so does bad behavior set bad precedents. In the modern academy "civility" is all too often defined simply as hewing to the standard left-liberal line on any given issue.I can't express an educated opinion about Finkelstein's tenure bid. I haven't read any of his "serious" scholarship, nor do I have any knowledge about his qualities as a teacher (though I must confess that I find it more chilling than encouraging to hear that some of his students apparently describe his class as "transformative"), and I certainly don't have any idea how he interacts with colleagues and students at the university. But one thing is clear: If DePaul denies tenure over "civility," then academic freedom loses, and no one will feel that loss more than those most outside the campus ideological mainstream--conservatives (especially religious conservatives).
It's quite clear what DePaul ought to do, or at least what it ought not to do. But this is the school that suspended Thomas Klocek when some pro-Palestinian students complained that his disagreement with them offended them. Anything is possible.
Posted by acta online at April 4, 2007 12:13 PM
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Comments
"By any fair definition of the term, Finkelstein is uncivil--even vicious--towards his critics."
Erin,
Is there any level of incivility or viciousness that you would regard as sufficient to deny an otherwise qualified individual tenure? Do you know of any profession outside academia where incivility and viciousness are not taken into account when deciding whether to promote an otherwise qualified individual? Do you believe university and college professors should be treated differently than other professionals?
I am not referring to situations like Brooklyn College and KC Johnson where "collegiality," or its lack, was used to deny tenure because the tenure committee disliked his politics. I'm talking about cases where an otherwise qualified individual is truely uncivil and even vicious. IMO, at some point incivility and viciousness become unprofessionalism and indicate emotional immaturity, and those guilty of unprofessionalism and emotional immaturity should not get tenure.
Posted by: fred at April 5, 2007 12:15 PM
"Do you know of any profession outside academia where incivility and viciousness are not taken into account when deciding whether to promote an otherwise qualified individual?"
They're definitely taken into account when deciding whether to elevate a lawyer to the bench: they seem to be regarded as a plus factor. ;-)
Posted by: Dave J at April 6, 2007 07:27 PM