Minding the World showcases both translated and original articles on higher education globally. It features work from the Observatory of University Ethics, led by Xavier-Laurent Salvador of the Sorbonne, alongside independent analyses and op-eds from scholars worldwide. Covering institutions across Canada, Latin America, and Europe, this column upholds Minding the Campus’s mission to champion intellectual diversity, independent thought, and critical reflection.
Editor’s Note: The following article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on January 5, 2025. The Observatory translated it into English from French. I have edited it, to the best of my ability, to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. Susan Neiman’s latest book in […]
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Editor’s Note: The following article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on March 11, 2025. The Observatory translated it into English from French. I have edited it, to the best of my ability, to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. In a great burst of […]
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Amid growing global skepticism toward “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI), Japanese universities are rapidly embracing surprisingly radical DEI measures. In Japan’s university admissions, admission quotas for females (Joshi-waku, literally “Girls’ Quotas”) grant eligibility exclusively to women and are being introduced successively in highly competitive STEM programs. Both national and private institutions employ this scheme. Typically, […]
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Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published on All Things Rhapsodical on May 17, 2025. With edits to match Minding the Campus’s style guidelines, it is crossposted here with permission. This is just up on Chronicles and not paywalled. Michel Houellebecq is a remarkable figure in literature. He has written a number of excellent novels, dealing […]
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Editor’s Note: The following article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on May 14, 2025. The Observatory translated it into English from French. I have edited it, to the best of my ability, to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. I am one of the many feminist writers and left-wing […]
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Editor’s Note: The following article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on April 24, 2025. The Observatory translated it into English from French. I have edited it, to the best of my ability, to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. With contributions from Olivier Beaud (Paris II), Arnaud […]
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Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on September 23, 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. Everyone remembers the events of the spring at Columbia […]
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Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on March 18, 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. In a text entitled “Regarding the cancellation of FBB’s visit to […]
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While the United States dismantles “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI), Canada still clings desperately to this cult of mediocrity. Sensing an impending cultural shift, Canadian DEI professionals are scrambling to mount a defense reminiscent of Jonathan Swift’s “Modest Proposal.” While Swift suggested eating children to solve poverty, diversicrats deploy discrimination in their moral crusade to […]
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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