Minding the World

Should We Redefine the University’s Mission?

Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on May 15, 2024. It was translated into English from French by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. The three missions of academics are currently teaching, research, and community […]

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Gender Theory and Queer-Feminist Narratives Diminish Political Science

Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on September 2, 2024. It was translated from French into English by the Observatory and subsequently edited to conform to Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. Ms. Réjane Sénac holds a doctorate in political science from the […]

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Job Profiles in Inclusive Writing: The Administration Backtracks

Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on March 6, 2024. It was translated from French into English by the Observatory and subsequently edited to conform to Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. While the acronym “INSPE” is not explicitly defined, it […]

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Why We Must Save Old French in Universities

Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on March 18, 2022. It was translated into English from French by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. The French language is continually evolving and adapting; that’s a fact. […]

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Social Sciences and Wokeness: Why France Is a Special Case

Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on January 2, 2023. It was translated into English from French by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. The phenomenon known as “woke” or “wokism” is international: initially developed […]

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The Influence of Identity Ideologies on ‘Psy’ Practices

Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on February 5, 2025. It was translated into English from French by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. The contemporary period, which has been described as hypermodern, produces identity […]

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Anthropology in Crisis: Elizabeth Weiss Faces the Challenges of a Politicized Discipline

Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on January 25, 2025. It was translated into English from French by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. San Jose State University Elizabeth Weiss, a physical anthropologist and professor […]

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Secularism: Understanding Its Origins and Meaning

Editor’s Note: The following was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on November 8, 2023. It was translated from French into English by the Observatory and later edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is republished here with permission. For translation assistance, I used ChatGPT. Secularism? A difficult term to […]

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Censorship in U.S. School Libraries: What Now for the Bible?

Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on June 29, 2023. It was translated into English from French by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. The American and international media have recently echoed a […]

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Lowering the Bar Isn’t Equity—All Students Deserve High Standards

Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on March 22, 2022. It was translated into English from French by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. “Why is it written like that?” All teachers know that children ask […]

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“Gender Studies” and Historical Fakery: How Activists Manufacture Myths to Deconstruct Western Traditions

Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt of an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on December 18, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. What is the purpose of “gender studies”? Reading its followers, […]

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A Worrying Politicization of Medical Education

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on May 11, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. Recently, the end-of-year medical exam at Sorbonne Paris Nord University was the subject of a lively […]

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Academic Freedom and Self-Censorship

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on November 3, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. Academic freedom requires that we be free to choose our research topics, but like any freedom, […]

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Gender? It Doesn’t Exist

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on December 3, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. Our fellow philosopher and contributor to this site, Alexandre Portier, Minister Delegate for Educational Success in […]

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To End the Nonsense About Academic Freedom

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on August 1, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. There is a lot of talk these days about “academic freedom,” but it is mostly to […]

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Laurier’s Administrators Block Debate on Indigenous Ways of Knowing

Imagine if a university faculty member claimed to have developed a vaccine for the common cold but refused to present her methods or evidence publicly. How would the university react? With intense suspicion. Why? Because if an idea isn’t publicly explained, then it can’t be falsified. Falsifiability is the possibility of finding evidence that contradicts […]

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Children, New Victims of Woke Delusions

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on November 17, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. There is no stopping progress in the invention of new woke causes intended […]

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MTC Launches Minding the World

Minding the Campus has launched a new column featuring translated articles from the Observatory of University Ethics, a collective of volunteer academics led by Xavier-Laurent Salvador, a faculty member at the Sorbonne. This collaboration brings a valuable international perspective to our site, offering insights into global higher education issues seen through a French lens, with […]

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The ‘Glass Ceiling’ in Research: The Mystery Solved?

Editor’s Note: This article, originally published in French by the Observatory of University Ethics on March 4, 2022, was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. The expression “glass ceiling” is a polysemic metaphor, at least in its use. […]

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