free speech – ZERO ANTHROPOLOGY

The Collapse of the Canadian University and the Rise of the Church of Covid

February of 2022 was a particularly dark month, both in Quebec and in Canada generally. In Quebec, we had the expansion of the use of “vaccine passports” to large, well-ventilated box stores; a curfew had been imposed in January (and was lifted after nearly three weeks); the demonization of the so-called “unvaccinated” reached a fever […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

‘Race,’ ‘Diversity,’ and the University

If this was a good time for Canadian academia, you would not be able to tell from the blanket of almost absolute silence that has been pulled over universities. There is no euphoria, no celebratory mood, no applause for the changes that are happening. There is, however, a degree of infighting, mutual suspicion, recrimination, and […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

WikiLeaks and Julian Assange: The Duty to Expose War Crimes

On Thursday, April 25, 2019, I had the honour of participating in two separate radio interviews concerning the case of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks. The first was with Glen Ford of Black Agenda Radio, and the second was with Chris Cook of “Gorilla Radio” at CFUV 101.9 FM—both of the sound files are available below. […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

The WikiLeaks Case: Democracy Dies in Empire

In the avalanche of news reports that have washed over the globe since the abduction of Julian Assange, this conversation struck me as containing numerous points of importance. It seemed worthwhile to have some of these points transcribed and listed here. If you have seen it, then the select transcriptions beneath the video might serve […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

Julian Assange, Political Prisoner: A Dark Day for Citizenship

After a day of following RT’s live coverage of the outrageous arrest of Julian Assange, abducted from the Embassy of Ecuador in London by British police agents, and then hearing US media fall over each other in a competition for who could make the most psychotic accusations against Assange (Fox News, interestingly, distinguishing itself as […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

Deactivism: The Pleasures of Life without Social Media

Finally, on February 21 (2018), I decided to completely withdraw myself from the two main social media accounts that had kept me busy online for nearly a decade: Twitter and Facebook. My account of leaving these two so-called social network sites is not any more special or deserving of attention than any of the countless […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

This Does Not Represent the Views of the University

I know that I am not the first person to ask this, but when did universities start having “views”? When some professors indulge their rights to free speech or put academic freedom into practice, they can sometimes express views that some members of the public find controversial, distasteful, or reprehensible. In such cases, one frequently reads their […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

Social Imperialism and New Victorian Identity Politics

Social Imperialism? New Victorianism’s Domestic Moral Code and the Political Economy of Identity Politics “The nation-state in its imperialist guise was the inescapable context within which all political action necessarily took place: it determined the range of possibilities against which the left as much as the right were compelled to define their positions”. (Eley, 1976, […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

When it comes to Israel, there can be no academic freedom or dissent? The case of William I. Robinson and UC-Santa Barbara

Another allegation of “anti-Semitism”? Another tale of a “racist” professor? Another professor who “violates students’ rights”? Another university administration “investigates” a professor? One would have thought that, in a post-Churchill context, university administrations would have been more circumspect, less willing to rush in and stifle free speech, as if only certain opinions were authorized and […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

American Association of University Professors Calls for Ward Churchill’s Reinstatement

On 7 April 2009, the National Council of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) supported Ward Churchill’s pursuit of reinstatement at the University of Colorado (CU). The AAUP approved the following resolution: “We believe the disputes over Ward Churchill’s publications should have been allowed to work themselves out in traditional scholarly venues, not referred […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

Ward Churchill, George Galloway: Speaking at Concordia University

Ward Churchill at Concordia I am very happy to announce that Ward Churchill will be speaking at Concordia University, on Wednesday, 15 April 15, at 7:00pm, at the Sir George Williams campus in downtown Montreal, in the Hall Building, room H-110. The admission cost is a voluntary donation. For more information, contact: scott.montreal@sympactico.ca or the […]