I truly appreciate this post and your focus on data and your comment at the end about wanting conversation! There’s no way out of our current situation if people aren’t willing to discuss things.
Two points of disagreement I have with your first section on DEI: 1) economic disadvantage was a BIG part of most DEI projects I was part of at Wash U, so I don’t think that is a brand new idea 2) Also at Wash U (I was on the faculty there for 15 years) there are plenty of faculty, staff and students who are deeply conservative, so I strongly disagree with your characterization of academics as “f you conservative, don’t come here.” You only have to look at the business and med school to know that universities include people of all political leanings.
Regarding the liberal/conservative loneliness data—I’d be interested to see how that intersects with economic status. As a relatively rich old liberal lady who is pretty lonely, I’m intrigued!
Thanks for your comments, Liz. On (1), I agree that focusing on economic disadvantage isn't new, but it seems to have been lost in favor of race (generally, not at all colleges). The podcast on DEI I mention is worth listening to.
My don't come here comment holds for a fair number of colleges (more often elite liberal arts-type colleges), and there are very few that are unwelcoming in the same way to the left (Liberty comes to mind, as well as maybe some religious colleges). Public colleges are often more neutral.
At the same time, more faculty identify overall as liberal than conservative. A recent Chronicle article put conservatives at 13% (https://www.chronicle.com/article/actually-there-are-more-conservatives-on-the-faculty-than-you-think-study-finds). This certainly varies from institution to institution and from department to department. I've seen data here and there, but now I need to find a good source for this. Business is certainly less left, but the left may still hold a majority there.
On the lookout for loneliness data by economic status. That would be interesting.
I truly appreciate this post and your focus on data and your comment at the end about wanting conversation! There’s no way out of our current situation if people aren’t willing to discuss things.
Two points of disagreement I have with your first section on DEI: 1) economic disadvantage was a BIG part of most DEI projects I was part of at Wash U, so I don’t think that is a brand new idea 2) Also at Wash U (I was on the faculty there for 15 years) there are plenty of faculty, staff and students who are deeply conservative, so I strongly disagree with your characterization of academics as “f you conservative, don’t come here.” You only have to look at the business and med school to know that universities include people of all political leanings.
Regarding the liberal/conservative loneliness data—I’d be interested to see how that intersects with economic status. As a relatively rich old liberal lady who is pretty lonely, I’m intrigued!
Thanks for your comments, Liz. On (1), I agree that focusing on economic disadvantage isn't new, but it seems to have been lost in favor of race (generally, not at all colleges). The podcast on DEI I mention is worth listening to.
(2) My view is a little (maybe a lot - I need to keep that in mind) skewed based on where I live and work. But generally speaking, the right has lost more faith in higher ed than the left (https://news.gallup.com/poll/646880/confidence-higher-education-closely-divided.aspx) Part of this is media-generated, though.
My don't come here comment holds for a fair number of colleges (more often elite liberal arts-type colleges), and there are very few that are unwelcoming in the same way to the left (Liberty comes to mind, as well as maybe some religious colleges). Public colleges are often more neutral.
At the same time, more faculty identify overall as liberal than conservative. A recent Chronicle article put conservatives at 13% (https://www.chronicle.com/article/actually-there-are-more-conservatives-on-the-faculty-than-you-think-study-finds). This certainly varies from institution to institution and from department to department. I've seen data here and there, but now I need to find a good source for this. Business is certainly less left, but the left may still hold a majority there.
On the lookout for loneliness data by economic status. That would be interesting.
As shown, the water gap graphic is also mainly a chart of population size, with some noise.
Maybe and doing this per capita would help. But Nigeria, for example, is 7th in population and near the bottom.