Universities are usually considered bastions of the free exchange of ideas, but a recent tide of demonstrations across college campuses has called this belief into question, and with serious consequences. Such a wave of protests hasn't been seen since the campus free speech demonstrations of the 1960s, yet this time it is the political Left, rather than the political Right, calling for restrictions on campus speech and freedom. And, as Jonathan Zimmerman suggests, recent campus controversies have pitted free speech against social justice ideals. The language of trauma--and, more generally, of psychology--has come to dominate campus politics, marking another important departure from prior eras. This trend reflects an increased awareness of mental health in American society writ large. But it has also tended to dampen exchange and discussion on our campuses, where faculty and students self-censor for fear of insulting or offending someone else. Or they attack each other in periodic bursts of invective, which run counter to the "civility" promised by new speech and conduct codes. In Campus Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know (R), Jonathan Zimmerman breaks down the dynamics of what is actually driving this recent wave of discontent. After setting recent events in the context of the last half-century of free speech campus movements, Zimmerman looks at the political beliefs of the US professorate and students. He follows this with chapters on political correctness; debates over the contested curriculum; admissions, faculty hires, and affirmative action; policing students; academic freedom and censorship; in loco parentis administration; and the psychology behind demands for "trigger warnings" and "safe spaces." He concludes with the question of how to best balance the goals of social and racial justice with the commitment to free speech.

About the Author
Jonathan Zimmerman is Professor of Education and History in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. He is also the author of Too Hot to Handle: A Global History of Sex Education and Small Wonder: The Little Red Schoolhouse in History and Memory, among other books. His academic articles have appeared in the Journal of American History, the Teachers College Record, and History of Education Quarterly. Zimmerman is also a frequent op-ed contributor to the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Republic, and other popular newspapers and magazines.

Reviews
"Historian Jonathan Zimmerman, one of the keenest educational observers around, offers a steady, clear-eyed take on the great campus debates of our time. Bursting with insight, irony, and wit, Campus Politics is essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of American higher education."-Christopher P. Loss, Vanderbilt University "Campus politics can be polarizing, even paralyzing. How do we unravel the collision of powerful social forces, divergent factual accounts, and seemingly irreconcilable ideological perspectives? Jonathan Zimmerman's brisk insights provide an elegant package of invaluable navigational tools: the engaging curiosity of a dedicated educator coupled with the even-tempered perspectives of a skilled historian. His perceptive answers to a candid, demanding set of FAQs project rare clarity into our foggy world." -Hiram E. Chodosh, President, Claremont McKenna College "Are our campuses pondering lofty principles or beset by ideological posturing? Jonathan Zimmerman deftly guides us across disputes from diversity and correctness to sexual assaults and subtle aggressions. He brings insight and clarity to arenas where emotions too often hold sway." -Andrew Hacker, Queens College, author of The Math Myth "Jonathan Zimmerman's Campus Politics offers a concise, informed, and spirited introduction to the major political issues roiling American colleges and universities today. Written with a historian's eye for detail, and in the same lively voice that has made Zimmerman a staple of the nation's op-ed pages, the book will help lay the groundwork for more enlightened debate." -Neil Gross, author of Why Are Professors Liberal and Why Do Conservatives Care? "A versatile historian of education who doesn't shrink from addressing complex, controversial topics, Zimmerman has a gift for being precise and analytical without being inflammatory..." - Luther Spoehr, a History News Network reviewer and Senior Lecturer at Brown University



Book Information
ISBN 9780190627393
Author Jonathan Zimmerman
Format Hardback
Page Count 160
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 340g
Dimensions(mm) 135mm * 222mm * 19mm