Dr. Mark Bauerlein is Senior Editor at First Things and Professor of English at Emory University. He joins Jeremy to discuss the trends that have overcome many universities’ humanities programs, particularly in English departments; a focus on hyper-specialization, as well as an overemphasis on theory, has meant that modern English departments do little to engage with the big ideas of truth and humanity found in great literature. Mark also discusses the importance of aesthetic independence in evaluating art, especially during a time in which the political and historical considerations of artists' backgrounds have become the primary focus of the academy. Additionally, he considers the degradation of the humanities in respect to university administrations' increasing concern with business elements of the higher ed model, and examines why education conservatism has found a new audience.
Host Jeremy Tate @JeremyTate41
Guest Mark Bauerlein @mark_bauerlein