Over at the New York Times, Ken Englehart, “a lawyer specializing in communications law, is a senior adviser for StrategyCorp, an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School and a senior fellow at the C. D. Howe Institute” offers us an astonishing argument suggesting we not worry about the FCC’s move to repeal Net Neutrality.Continue reading “Ken Englehart’s Exceedingly Lame Argument Against Net Neutrality”
Category Archives: Politics
The Great Bob Mueller Seduction
Blood is in the water: the president of the United States appears to have committed ‘obstruction of justice.’ We know this because a ‘legal dream team’ headed by a special prosecutor, a former head of the FBI, is conducting a long, expensive, and detailed investigation of all the president’s men. The nefarious activities suspected toContinue reading “The Great Bob Mueller Seduction”
Critiquing The Law And Discomfort
This semester, in my philosophy of law class, my students and I have attempted to work our way through a collection of ‘critical legal studies‘ articles; these run the gamut from critical legal histories to feminist legal theory to critical race theory. The reactions of my students to these pieces, and in particular to theContinue reading “Critiquing The Law And Discomfort”
The NYPD Tells Us What They Think Of Brooklyn College Students
This is most decidedly a storm in a tea-cup, but it is a most revealing one. The New York City Police and their friends at the New York Post do not like the concern expressed by some Brooklyn College students about the presence of police on their campus: Brooklyn College is kowtowing to cop-hating studentsContinue reading “The NYPD Tells Us What They Think Of Brooklyn College Students”
Contra Cathy O’Neil, The ‘Ivory Tower’ Does Not ‘Ignore Tech’
In ‘Ivory Tower Cannot Keep On Ignoring Tech‘ Cathy O’Neil writes: We need academia to step up to fill in the gaps in our collective understanding about the new role of technology in shaping our lives. We need robust research on hiring algorithms that seem to filter out peoplewith mental health disorders…we need research to ensureContinue reading “Contra Cathy O’Neil, The ‘Ivory Tower’ Does Not ‘Ignore Tech’”
Dear Men, Shut Up About ‘Due Process’ Already
From sea to shining sea, on social media pages nationwide, brave men are taking up cudgels on behalf of their brothers-in-sex-and-gender, the ones whose lives are facing ruination because of this country’s #MeToo moment, as accusation after accusation of sexual harassment and assault issue forth from women who’ve previously remained silent. In each case, theirContinue reading “Dear Men, Shut Up About ‘Due Process’ Already”
Hypocrisy And The Unequal Weighing Of Political Preferences
‘We’ are shocked time and again by the hypocrisy and political incoherence on display: Trump voters help elect a man who seems to act against their economic interests; they prop up a serial sexual harasser and abuser even as they claim to be fine, upstanding, family types dedicated to stamping out immoral behavior of allContinue reading “Hypocrisy And The Unequal Weighing Of Political Preferences”
Anita Hill, Harvey Weinstein, And National Amnesia
In October 1991, I, along with millions of other curious viewers, watched the Senate nomination hearings for the Supreme Court nominee, Clarence Thomas. My curiosity, like that of many others, had been piqued by the presence of Thomas’ former assistant, Anita Hill, who had accused him of sexual harassment at her workplace. On the secondContinue reading “Anita Hill, Harvey Weinstein, And National Amnesia”
‘Prison Literature: Constraints And Creativity’ Up At Three Quarks Daily
My essay, ‘Prison Literature: Constraint and Creativity,’ is up at Three Quarks Daily. Here is an introduction/abstract: In his Introduction to Hegel’s Metaphysics (University of Chicago Press, 1969, pp 30-31), Ivan Soll attributes “great sociological and psychological insight” to Hegel in ascribing to him the insight that “the frustration of the freedom of act results in the search ofContinue reading “‘Prison Literature: Constraints And Creativity’ Up At Three Quarks Daily”
Drexel University Bans Professor From Campus, Gives Alt-Right An Early Christmas Gift
I’ve signed and shared a statement of solidarity supporting George Cicciariello-Maher of Drexel University who has been placed on administrative leave by his employer, Drexel University. That statement begins as follows: On October 9, 2017, Drexel University administrators sent a letter to Associate Professor George Ciccariello-Maher informing him that he was being placed on paidContinue reading “Drexel University Bans Professor From Campus, Gives Alt-Right An Early Christmas Gift”
Samir Chopra 