Everything Old Is New Again: Bertrand Russell and Steven Salaita.

Abstract

The decision by trustees of the University of Illinois to revoke a tenured position offered to Steven Salaita evokes another, long-ago controversy. In 1940, a New York court revoked the appointment of Bertrand Russell to a faculty position at the College of the City of New York, in part because of Russell's allegedly "immoral" writings. In both instances, the decision makers justified their actions by predicting harm to students if the appointees were allowed to take up their faculty positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]