The Influence of Identity Politics on Academia

Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez recently distanced herself from the radical rhetoric of 2020, stating, “Woke One was crazy.” During that turbulent year, with the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing and the COVID-19 pandemic, some progressive movements veered into extremes. Ocasio-Cortez admits that such rhetoric is not something she would endorse today. Yet, these sentiments persist at universities.

An example is Jason Arday, a Cambridge University sociologist. He died by suicide amid accusations of plagiarism and biography fabrication. Reports claim that he plagiarized content and exaggerated his life story. Despite the early circulation of plagiarism claims, Cambridge University ignored these until recently. Supporters of Arday dismissed the accusations as racism.

The belief that universities are centers of racism fuels such defenses. However, claiming an incident is racially motivated requires proof. Evidence was once academia’s foundation, but focus has shifted from merit to identity.

Tyler Austin Harper’s recent Atlantic cover story highlights this shift. Harper, an African-American, once supported affirmative action. He believed that in cases of equal qualifications, a minority candidate should be chosen. Yet, in practice, identity overshadowed qualifications in hiring decisions. Harper describes how the obsession with appearances disheartened him and devalued his achievements.

Harper recounts an incident where a white student threatened to call the police on a Black roommate during a dispute. This was exaggerated as an attempted “lynching” by a faculty colleague. It demonstrates how racism allegations are sometimes made without sufficient evidence.

Arday also claimed a masked man threatened him with a knife and a pig’s head was delivered to his parents. These incidents, lacking corroboration, were believed due to his status as a Black scholar. Racism was deemed the justification for any criticisms aimed at him.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan suggested Arday’s death resulted partly from racism. However, Arday initially received favorable treatment. His race may have shielded him from greater scrutiny, highlighting flaws in how race is handled in academia.

Former President Trump and his followers argue that universities promote indoctrination rather than knowledge. Their criticism comes with financial repercussions, such as fines and grant reductions. The solution involves addressing these issues by rejecting identity-driven decisions.

Jonathan Zimmerman teaches history and education at the University of Pennsylvania. His upcoming book, “Schooling Citizens: How Education Can Save Democracy,” explores these themes further.