Today’s Martin Center article is a compilation of short pieces by staff members on interesting things we have been reading. Corner readers will probably find some ideas on books and articles worth pursuing.

My contribution, e.g., is on a recent essay in the NAS journal Academic Questions. It was written by criminology professor Mike Adams on the topic of “queer criminology.” What is that? It’s another leftist incursion into an academic field to plant the victimhood narrative.


Jenna Robinson is reading Jacques Barzun’s great book From Dawn to Decadence. It is Barzun’s survey of 500 years of Western cultural development and decline.

Jay Schalin has recently read an article on “groupthink.” That has become a key phenomenon among academics today, but the article dates back to 1971. Today’s problems have deep roots.

Anthony Hennen discusses an article on the decision by Swarthmore College to end intercollegiate football. You might think that a prestigious liberal arts college could manage that easily, but Hennen reports that it turned out to be very difficult.

And Shannon Watkins is reading Nadine Strossen’s latest book, a defense of free speech against the “progressive” argument that anything they call “hate speech” has no constitutional protection and should be censored.