"Whither the Looniversity?" - A Podcast on the Miserable State of the American University

Ryan Martin is a professor of statistics at North Carolina State University. He is also a co-founder of the Researchers.One platform for publishing scholarly research. After discussing Prof. Martin's most recent research, we talk about the predictive applications of statistics and the assumptions that undergird the field. Finally, we consider how statistical prediction impacts the political realm, with Prof. Martin explaining how a reorientation toward "imprecise probability" might improve the public reputation of his field, which is sometimes summarized by the phrase "Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics."

J.D. Haltigan is Assistant Professor of Psychology at University of Toronto, where his research focuses on developmental psychopathology -- specifically early caregiving and its effects on psychological development. The author of dozens of peer-reviewed publications, Haltigan is also the founder of a Substack publication called "The Multilevel Mailer," where he writes about the psychological effects of contemporary trends in society, culture, and technology. We talk about the politicization of psychology as a field, creeping wokeness in the medical industry and mental health care, and the troubling evidence that the kids are NOT (in fact) "alright."

Prof. Pedro Domingos has been at the forefront of the revolutions in artificial intelligence and machine learning for over two decades. In addition to conducting his teaching and research at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering of the University of Washington, he has worked closely with a variety of the biggest firms in the tech industry. His most recent book is "The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Re-Make Our World." Dr. Domingos has also been a vocal critic of the encroachment of woke/DEI ideology in the technology sector, smuggled in under the banner of "ethics." His opposition has put him at the center of controversy. We discuss his various run-ins with the woke contingent in his field, the promise of AI, the fate of the university, and (of course) a bit about stochastic parrots.

Dr. Elizabeth Weiss is a full professor of anthropology at San Jose State University, where her research focuses on the analysis of ancient human remains. She has published dozens of peer-reviewed research essays and a number of books. Her most recent co-authored book, "Repatriation and Erasing the Past," made her a target of the woke mob due to her opposition to new repatriation laws that require federally-funded institutions to return any artifacts deemed "sacred" by an indigenous people to the living descendants of the tribe (should they be requested). This resulted in an open letter signed by nearly 1,000 academics denouncing Weiss and her book. More recently, she was attacked for posting a photo of her holding a human skull on social media. We talk about the woke ideologues, the current state of anthropology, repatriation politics, and her current lawsuit against her university.

Prof. Gussow is a scholar of literature whose work has focused on blues music, racial history, and African American art. A well-known harmonica player, he is also one half of the blues duo "Satan and Adam." His writing on current events related to race has been particularly compelling, acknowledging the continuing legacy of American racial violence while refusing the facile, polarized interpretations of activists. We discuss the politics of race as it plays out on American campuses, and explore how woke activism actually hinders the pursuit of a just society.

Dr. Alex Petkas received his PhD in Classics from Princeton. His research interests include Greek literature, rhetoric, epistemology, and ethics. He recently resigned a tenure-track professorship, due in part to disenchantment with the DEI revolution in higher education. Alex has a number of scholarly publications. Known online as "Ancient Life Coach," Petkas is also host of the Cost of Glory podcast, which retells the lives of heroic figures from antiquity. We talk about the state of Classics as a scholarly discipline, his decision to leave academia, and his current projects. https://ancientlifecoach.com/

Prof. Bailey of Northwestern University has long been on the cutting edge of the science of gender non-conformity, sexual orientation, and sexual arousal. His most famous book -- The Man Who Would Be Queen -- is a compassionate but unflinching look at the biological realities and cultural manifestations of gender identity. Released over a decade before transgenderism became a topic of public debate, Bailey faced considerable criticism for the book. Nevertheless, his innovative research continues. We talk about sexual politics, the decline of the American university, and what can be done to save it. You can download The Man Who Would Be Queen here for free: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10530/the-man-who-would-be-queen-the-science-of-gender

In this episode, I talk to Stuart Reges, Teaching Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington. A veteran of campus politics, Reges talks to me about his pending lawsuit against the university for violating his First Amendment rights. After they encouraged faculty to include a "land acknowledgement statement" on their syllabi, they censored the one that Reges wrote. We also talk about LGBT activism on campus, the funding of campus DEI initiatives, and the controversy around his recent essay entitled "Why Women Don't Code."

After decades in academia, Prof. Manson recently made national news when he announced via his blog that he was resigning his full professorship at UCLA. Like so many other faculty members across the country, the woke revolution had ensured that he could no longer meaningfully perform his duties as a teacher and a scholar. In this episode, we talk about the events that led up to his decision, the politicization of the discipline of anthropology, and the soft antisemitism that exists on American campuses.

My guest on Episode 7 of "Whither the Looniversity?" is Prof. Nicholas Giordano, who teaches political science at Suffolk Community College. Nicholas is the founder of the PAS Report, which offers political analysis and strategies, and he hosts a regular podcast on politics. Before teaching at the college level, Prof. Giordano worked with the Department of Homeland Security. He has written for many outlets including the New York Post and Campus Reform. We discuss the state of political science departments, the future of the university, and the role of community colleges in American higher education.