Historians are receiving a weird email asking for their views on objectivity. Is this a right-wing trawl or a desperate student?
I don’t know, but as I said last November:
It has never been more important for academics to speak, to write, to engage, and to push. I actually don’t think it was less important a year ago, 5 years ago, 15 years ago, and so forth. It’s always critical. But the rise of Trump mandates regular public engagement, while also elevating the risks of backlash.
So be careful out there. Write, tweet, talk, teach as if your words are being tracked by people who want to destroy you. But also write, tweet, talk, listen, and teach as if your words can make a difference guiding us through what I believe will be a difficult slice of American and global history.