Classics Professor Made Invisible by Peers

Last week, I was supposed to be in Greece. When, almost exactly a year ago, I was invited to speak at a four-day international conference in Athens on “The ‘Future of the Past’: Why Classical Studies Still Matter,” I accepted happily. Finally, after years of turmoil, I was going to have the chance to sit down with colleagues and help chart a workable course forward for our embattled subject. In the end, however, the fact that my wife is pregnant made me decide to participate instead over Zoom. This turned out to be a blessing, since had I gone in person, I would have had to spend Thanksgiving with some loathsome people.

You hear about the disinvitations of controversial speakers on campus. You hear about the heckling and, in extreme cases, the violence directed at them. Far less dramatically, you hear about audience members expressing disapproval by showing up for a talk and then walking out. What all these reactions have in common is the recognition that the speakers are, at least, people — that they’re worthy of a reaction, even if that reaction is contempt.

JK

About the Author

Joshua T. Katz

Joshua T. Katz is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

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Last week, I was supposed to be in Greece. When, almost exactly a year ago, I was invited to speak at a four-day international conference in Athens on “The ‘Future of the Past’: Why Classical Studies Still Matter,” I accepted happily. Finally, after years of turmoil, I was going to have the chance to sit down with colleagues and help chart a workable course forward for our embattled subject. In the end, however, the fact that my wife is pregnant made me decide to participate instead over Zoom. This turned out to be a blessing, since had I gone in person, I would have had to spend Thanksgiving with some loathsome people.

You hear about the disinvitations of controversial speakers on campus. You hear about the heckling and, in extreme cases, the violence directed at them. Far less dramatically, you hear about audience members expressing disapproval by showing up for a talk and then walking out. What all these reactions have in common is the recognition that the speakers are, at least, people — that they’re worthy of a reaction, even if that reaction is contempt.