While most of the national focus following charges of child sex abuse at Pennsylvania State University has centered on its coaches and administrators, the scandal has reached deep into the professoriate as well. Responding to constant questions has taken an emotional toll on the university's faculty members, who have been asked by neighbors,…

African professors are often asked by Americans at academic gatherings, campus events, and informal social gatherings what they think of the never-ending civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the genocide in Sudan, anarchy in Somalia, last year's disastrous elections in Nigeria, the Kenyan political crisis, and other problems. Whether…

In this article, the author shares some of the tricky discussions he has presented to his students in his "Argument and Persuasion" course, a second-level writing class designed to develop students' skills in reasoning, conducting research, and writing essays. He relates how this course always makes it difficult for him to be neutral when…

Scientists doing research on primates are increasingly being subjected to threats and acts of violence from animal rights groups. The intimidation has resulted in many laboratories taking extensive security measures. Some scientists claim, however, that there is no surrogate for animal research in understanding human diseases. There are fears that…

Legislators in over a dozen states have approved or are considering restrictions on what can be transmitted by computer. Legal scholars feel this could seriously affect network use, and that colleges and universities could face conflicting regulations in a medium transcending legal jurisdictions. Supporters feel the laws are needed to protect…

Questionnaires were distributed to 1,100 behavioral, biological, physical and social scientists at a major research university. Those surveyed said they suspected a colleague of falsifying data and 54% of them had failed to check out the suspicions or to take action to remedy the situation. (MLW)

Challenged by the rise of the New Right and the Reagan Administration, liberal theorists are reformulating liberalism. Individualism, at the heart of liberal theory, has been attacked for destroying the sense of civic obligation and community spirit. Some critics of liberalism called communitarians are described. (MLW)

A program at Brandeis University uses literature to help professionals confront career dilemmas and work-related moral issues. Program participants say literature provides a "non-threatening" way to discuss difficult subjects. Doctors, legislators, corporate executives, public-school teachers, etc. have participated. (MLW)