The Higher Education Inquirer is conducting an extensive investigation of the reemergence of fascism in US higher education. The examination aims to: define and operationalize the concept of fascism, investigate the roots of American fascism since the 17th century, and chronicle the most important cases of fascism in US higher education today. As part of a democratic process, we ask readers to be involved in the research and writing of this project.
Reader Input
Additions and corrections will be made with input from readers of the Higher Education Inquirer. Please add your comments in the section at the bottom. For those who wish to remain anonymous, you can provide feedback by emailing me at dahnshaulis@gmail.com.
Definition(s) of Fascism(s)
The word fascism has been used by politicians and American writers on the Left and Right for generations. It may not be possible to create a consensus of what fascism is, or how it appears in US society. This space is likely to be edited as more comments are received.
*Laurence W. Britt, the author of Fascism Anyone, described 14 elements of fascism here.
*Italian historian Umberto Eco described 14 elements of fascism here.
*Yale professor Jason Stanley explains "How Fascism Works" here.
Origins of Fascism in US Higher Education
US higher education was founded on the taking of land from indigenous people, and oppressing people of color for four centuries. Enslaved Africans and their descendants were part of the origin and continuation of elite American schools for two hundred years. White, Protestant, males from elite backgrounds had most of the higher educational opportunities--and the names of robber barons and tobacco magnates (Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, Duke) became part of the elite pantheon. Thorstein Veblen and Upton Sinclair provided a great deal of information on this.
While there has been more democracy at times, people of color, women, and working-class folks have been excluded or discriminated against for all of US history. The federal government (Department of Defense, CIA) and US corporations (particularly federal contractors) have also held great importance in the direction of higher education, servicing their most oppressive anti-democratic, colonial elements.
In the 21st century, historians Craig Steven Wilder and others dug up the white supremacist roots of elite universities. In a zero-sum game, historically privileged groups and individuals may also feel aggrieved and oppressed when others succeed or are placed ahead of them in line.
Propagation of Fascism in 2022 (Contemporary Examples in No Particular Order)
This section will evolve with the help of reader comments. Here are some preliminary examples of varying importance:
Role in Mass Surveillance
"Savage Inequalities" in the K-12 Pipeline
Hunger, poverty, prostitution, and drug sales among college students
Sexual assault of college students
Anti-intellectualism in America
Rise of Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA, Turning Point Action, and Students for Trump
Turning Point USA's Professor Watchlist
Police State and Strong Military Supported
Use of Propaganda and Disinformation to Oppress "Minorities" and Empower Big Corporations
Predatory Marketing and Advertising
Legalization of Hate Speech in US Higher Education
Book Burning and Censorship in US Society
Role of Corporate Power in Higher Education (e.g. Boards, Endowments, Contracts)
Role of Elite Families in Higher Education (e.g. Walton Family Foundation, Koch Brothers)
Land Theft Through Gentrification and College Expansion
Tax Avoidance by Elite Schools to Rob Public Coffers
Colleges Colluding to Limit Financial Aid
Role of Higher Education in Educating Reactionary Judges and Politicians
State-Sponsored Think Tanks to Support Elites and Oppress Others (e.g. Liberty Institute at University of Texas)
Bomb Threats Against Historically Black Colleges and Universities
End of Affirmative Action for African Americans but Continued Use of Legacies
Reduction of Needs Based Grants and Scholarships
Management Corruption, Robocolleges, and the Loss of Labor Power in US Higher Education
Expenditure of Elite Endowment Funds to Fund Anti-Democratic Organizations
Role of NCAA Football in Promoting Oppressive Values (No Wages, Poor Safety, Sports Gambling)
Role of US Universities in Supporting Human Rights Violators (e.g. Russia, People's Republic of China)
Role of US Universities in Undermining Foreign Efforts in Democratization
Use of "Credentials" as a Legal Form of Discrimination
Non-Disclosure Agreements
Anti-Union Efforts in Higher Education
Student Loan Peonage, Declining Social Mobility, and the "Educated Underclass"
Related link: US Higher Education and the Intellectualization of White Supremacy
Related link: UT Austin President Eats Cake in a Pandemic (Austin Longhorn*)
Related link: Coursera IPO Reveals Bleak Future For Global Labor
Related link: Guild Education: Enablers of Anti-Union Corporations and Subprime College Programs
Related link: Maximus, Student Loan Debt, and the Poverty Industrial Complex
Related link: Community Colleges at the Heart of College Meltdown
Related link: The Tragedy of Human Capital Theory in Higher Education (Glen McGhee*)
Related link: Higher Education Inquirer: The Growth of "RoboColleges" and "Robostudents"
Related link: SLABS: The Soylent Green of US Higher Education
Dahn Shaulis
Higher Education Inquirer
