Yale rejects Juan Cole after public burning
Burning Cole deserves a good read, even if you aren't associated with that that hallowed institution of higher ed called Yale, which I have to hail as my alma mater.
The Yale administration's rejection of the history department's decision to appoint Juan Cole as Middle East historian is given depth and background by the Nation's reporting. It seems that a concerted effort, led by right-wing blogger Scott Johnson raised red flags about Cole's purported anti-Israel positions. This, was, it seemed enough to shift the winds against Cole's appointment within a vote by an academic committee that vets senior appointments at Yale.
Not only is Cole an eminent historian of the Middle East, after September 11, 2001 he became left-wing blogger on Iraq and Middle East issues, along with being a virulent critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policies. His blog Informed Comment is one of the premier sources of reporting from the Middle East you won't get on the MSM.
Cole is employed at the University of Michigan, and will not suffer much from this rejection -- Yale wil since it has shown that a good public witch hunt with whispers of anti-Semitism will tank a qualified candidate. But you have a case where as Yale history professor John Merriman put it, academic integrity is trumped by politics.
The Yale administration's rejection of the history department's decision to appoint Juan Cole as Middle East historian is given depth and background by the Nation's reporting. It seems that a concerted effort, led by right-wing blogger Scott Johnson raised red flags about Cole's purported anti-Israel positions. This, was, it seemed enough to shift the winds against Cole's appointment within a vote by an academic committee that vets senior appointments at Yale.
Not only is Cole an eminent historian of the Middle East, after September 11, 2001 he became left-wing blogger on Iraq and Middle East issues, along with being a virulent critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policies. His blog Informed Comment is one of the premier sources of reporting from the Middle East you won't get on the MSM.
Cole is employed at the University of Michigan, and will not suffer much from this rejection -- Yale wil since it has shown that a good public witch hunt with whispers of anti-Semitism will tank a qualified candidate. But you have a case where as Yale history professor John Merriman put it, academic integrity is trumped by politics.
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