Nomadic Thoughts

It is unfortunate that Shortell felt he had to forgo the opportunity of department chair because of external pressure to do so. This case is particularly notable because the offensive piece in question was written for a website that was not in any way affiliated with Brooklyn College or his role as an educator. While I believe that there is a certain responsibility that a professor has to live up to, the academy must distinguish between professional obligation and freedom of thought and speech. It would be one thing if Shortell qualified his statements by citing his role as a professor at Brooklyn College: that is irresponsible because it brings into the equation an indirect affiliation between his opinions and his institution. The only potential hole in this argument would be the fact that Shortell has linked to the Anti-Naturals website on his professional web page. Even then, it would be a stretch to assume that such a link implies a causal connection between his personal opinions and any perceived bias as a professor.

The whole situation as illustrated by the Shortell controversy is particularly worrisome to those of us who maintain public, online journals for whatever reason. I started Nomadic Thoughts in order to give me a chance to express my thoughts and opinions on anthropology and related topics. It is public because of my firm belief that the furtherance of scientific thought and theory can only happen through informed public discourse, hence the purpose of academic print journals and professional conferences. While important, the internet has provided scientists and researchers the opportunity to bypass the often restrictive and highly selective nature of these two venues and reach a much larger lay audience that may or may not be well versed in the rhetoric and lingo employed by professionals. As I mentioned in a pre-Nomadic Thoughts post on my personal blog, anthropology and the other social sciences should not be restricted to the few who hold degrees in these fields because doing so would defeat the whole purpose of such inquiry.

For these reasons, a writer must not feel restricted in what he says outside of his professional affiliation. While a certain degree of self-censorship is inevitable, the value of public discourse as described above ceases to be effective. This Fall I will be completely new in the world of higher education, although I am already somewhat familiar with how it works. For that reason, I am mindful of what I post here and how it may potentially affect my future in academia. The Shortell situation is a reminder that we don't live in a society where freedom of speech is absolute. It is sad when an individual with the qualifications and experience necessary to make him or her a quality educator able to make a difference is held back because of what some perceive as controversial statements in the private sector.

Update: Malkin rejoices; story in the NY Sun