The XX Factor : academics

As Proust (and France Gall) Would Say: Ne Soyons Pas Si Bêtes

Melinda Henneberger — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:23:00 GMT

Rachael , I don't guess I know that many people who think of themselves as intellectuals—or would say so out loud, at any rate, no matter how much they love kicking around ideas. (My mom described me that way once, in anger, and it was soooo not a compliment....(read more)

More on the Terrible Horrible No Good Billable Hour

Emily Bazelon — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:44:00 GMT

Judith , you nailed the efficiency vs. availability conundrum. I'm sure there is room for law firms to dethrone The Hour—and here's a good recent Slate piece by Lisa Lerer explaining why the push for them to do so is coming from their clients. Perhaps...(read more)

To Quote Margaret Spellings ...

Melinda Henneberger — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:51:00 GMT

The good news in the study Meghan writes about is that both men and women reported feeling more comfortable in professional groups that included more women. Does this mean that men, too, find predominantly male groups more intimidating? Or less interesting?...(read more)

Re: Re: Speaking of XX, again

Meghan O'Rourke — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:50:00 GMT

I agree that it’s foolish for UC Davis to rescind its invitation to Summers to speak—even if his comments were foolish and ill-informed , as I argued two years ago. But the problem with Christina Hoff Sommers’ piece—and the reason I don’t find it all...(read more)

Re: Speaking of XX, again

Anne Applebaum — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 21:33:00 GMT

But surely this was Sommers' point: How will we ever be able to talk about sex differences in an interesting way if we're not allowed to study them? If the subject is an academic taboo, then the same old cliches will just live on for another generation....(read more)

Re: Speaking of xx

Emily Bazelon — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:18:00 GMT

Yes, Larry Summers should be able to speak at Davis. He's done his time (and lost his job). But I'm not ready to says he's a hero for telling it like it is about women and the sciences, which is what Sommers implies. During the fracas over his remarks...(read more)

Speaking of XX

Emily Yoffe — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 19:20:00 GMT

Christina Hoff Sommers has an interesting op-ed in the WSJ today about the academic struggles ignited over former Harvard President Larry Summers remarks about why women are not better represented in the hard sciences. On one hand an invitation for Summers...(read more)