Steve McDonald

Tulane University scientist resigns citing environmental censorship Kimberley Terrell’s research into health and job disparities had triggered a backlash from state and Tulane leaders

Serious censorship and academic freedom issues in play at Tulane.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Optimum coding environment, achieved

Thrilled to have a "Long Read" in The Guardian today, which is adapted from my new book. It argues that while Trump is obviously a threat to democracy he's also the product of a longer-term crisis of capitalism that the left must address and can address.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

For everyone attending #SSS2025 in Charlotte this week: consider attending the "Roll of Honor Session to Recognize Larry Isaac," winner of SSS' distinguished career award.

I'll be presiding over the session and presenting alongside several of Larry Isaac's other former students.

Thursday @ 4 p.m.!

Visas of 6 international students at UNC-Chapel Hill terminated by Trump administration The terminations of the UNC students’ visas comes after similar revocations at NC State University and Duke University, as well as dozens of universities around the country.

6 Intl students at UNC-CH had their visas revoked yesterday. No explanation. www.newsobserver.com/news/local/e...

The @ncstate.bsky.social response: “We are deeply concerned about the lack of communication from federal agencies and the impact of these actions on our international students." You forgot to mention: canceling lawful student visas for political purposes violates free speech.

Two NC State students leave U.S. after visas terminated Two NC State graduate students left the U.S. after the State Department revoked their visas. The University was not notified beforehand but offered support.

Absolutely awful... but also entirely opaque. "‘First of all, I'm hardly on social media.’" ... "‘Second of all, I'm not writing, and I'm not posting anything.’ And then, thirdly, his social media page is very private." www.technicianonline.com/news/two-nc-...

Hands Off! Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them. They're taking everything they can get their hands on and daring the world to stop them. On Saturday, April 5th, we're taking to the stre...

🔥On April 5, we’re uniting to say Hands Off! 🔥

DC and Nationwide (see map in link for locations)

Handsoff2025.com

Bring friends 🌱💕🦋 to fight back against Trump/Musk power grab.🔥🙏

app.sosha.ai/s/YteiOKxT

We analyzed racial justice statements from the 500 largest US companies and found that DEI officials really did have an influence Only 1 in 5 Fortune 500 companies made strong racial justice commitments in response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Those companies were more likely to have DEI staff.

PLEASE REPOST
Two colleagues and I have been looking at corporate racial justice responses to the George Floy murder/BLM protests. Top line finding is influential DEI staff mattered. I suspect that the current DEI backlash is at least in part a response.
theconversation.com/we-analyzed-...

This is outstanding. Exactly what needs to be said right now, and heard.

“What’s under threat isn’t just #academicfreedom, it’s lifesaving research, climate & public health research…our collective future.”

— Chenjerai Kumanyika, national AAUP Councilmember at today’s press event on the AAUP/AFT lawsuit against the Trump admin weaponization of federal research funding.

#StandUpForScience2025

My sign for today's march

Eff the lawyers. Right now we need them to help us resist. Help us to say "hell no," not "whatever you say."

How is university leadership is responding to contemporary political threats? 1) Legal authorities are the loudest voices in the room, 2) they actively promote capitulation to authoritarian decrees, 3) they readily sacrifice principles and marginalized students/faculty/staff/units to save brand.

NC university’s first response to DEI ban? Striking use of ‘race,’ ‘equality,’ ‘white’ High Point University initially sought to ban roughly 50 words associated with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts on everything from websites to class syllabi.

We're past the red line, folks. Political censorship of classroom content. www.newsobserver.com/news/local/e...

Pro-crime agenda

I fixed NSF's flowchart...

NSF will need to revise their guidance on Broadening Participation to align with the new executive orders. To help with those revisions, I wrote an updated version of their policy. You're welcome.

This and...further related research on the qualitative character of diversity discourse in high tech.
doi.org/10.1080/0038...

Yes, we absolutely should be talking more about #meritocracy in schools and organizations! But it's curious when those claims are made by people who are actively working to remove sociology courses from general ed requirements. Makes me think that the goal is actually to silence those discussions.

Scholars of employment and workplace inequality: learn more about the new chair of the EEOC. The link provides details to previous writings and media appearances related to DEI. www.eeoc.gov/andrea-r-luc...

Ran Carthon, Jerod Mayo, Antonio Pierce and the NFL’s fast clock for some Over the past few days, Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon, New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo and Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce…

Sadly, just another 3 examples of particularistic mobility in football coaching. Black coaches (and executives) are rarely given the same chance to succeed as white coaches. andscape.com/features/ran...

It's 2am and I'm perversely antagonizing Gemini for it's hallucinations. Like, what's wrong with you? There's medication for this...

Handbook cover

Handbook TOC

Our Handbook on Inequality and Social Capital is now published! We have 28 excellent chapters and nearly 50 contributors, all spanning multiple disciplines and continents. If you have trouble accessing a chapter, send me a personal message. www.elgaronline.com/edcollbook/b...

BibLaTex, XeLaTex, alouette, oooooooo...