Farewell 2016

By Alex Usher. So another year ended.  This one, few will mourn.  Despite their medieval roots, universities fundamentally serve the enlightenment; and the enlightenment, with is emphasis on toleration, progress, science, empiricism, was under attack this year as in no year since 1945.  Though higher education itself was not the target of populists’ wrath, the part of the culture we inhabit certainly was.  And that could make life pretty uncomfortable over the next few years. More...