Kanye West has been called many things. Most of them are euphemisms for the very prejudicial and problematic “crazy” designation. I’m on a self-imposed vacation. I am only doing things for fun. When commentary about the latest Kanye “episode” crossed my social media, I decided to indulge. As I watched Kanye’s interview on Sway’s radioRead More “Just How Krazy is Kanye? Ethnographic Lessons. No, Really.”
Monthly Archives: November 2013
The ‘H’ Is Silent: Historically Black Colleges and Mission Conflict #ecsucuts #highered
Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is a small, public college in North Carolina. It is also a historically black college. Recently, the mission of the state’s University of NC system, of which ECSU became a part in 1972, has bumped up against the historic mission that most HBCUs share. Apparently, seven degree programs at ECSURead More “The ‘H’ Is Silent: Historically Black Colleges and Mission Conflict #ecsucuts #highered”
The Audacity: Thrun Learns A Lesson and Students Pay
Sebastian Thrun, founder of Udacity, one of the most high-profile private sector attempts to “disrupt” higher education discovered inequality this week. Thrun has spent the last three years dangling the shiny bauble of his elite academic pedigree and messianic vision of the future of higher education before investors and politicos. He promised nothing short ofRead More “The Audacity: Thrun Learns A Lesson and Students Pay”
SJSU Talk on The MOOC Moment: Ethics, Discourse, and Promises
I had the privilege of speaking to the San Jose State University community at two talks hosted by the California Faculty Association, Department of Philosophy and Center for Ethics yesterday. For such talks I often provide resources and materials in a post before I lecture as to free up the audience to engage rather than record.Read More “SJSU Talk on The MOOC Moment: Ethics, Discourse, and Promises”
Loving Black Women and Richard Cohen’s Gag Reflex
Richard Cohen’s gag reflex was triggered by the visual of white Bill DeBlasio being married to his black wife Chirlane. Cohen couched his disgust in the everyman approach, attributing it to “conventions” of normal middle Americans. I do not have much patience for linkbaiting. I encourage you to read a summary of the comments, likeRead More “Loving Black Women and Richard Cohen’s Gag Reflex”
On Writing and Teaching and Going Viral
It has been a big week. Thank you to everyone who read and shared my thoughts on status, poverty, and culture. As with my thoughts on gender, race, and Miley Cyrus, I thought the piece a narrow meditation with very limited readership potential. Just goes to show that I do not have much of anRead More “On Writing and Teaching and Going Viral”