Is being a conservative professor so challenging that many of them remain politically “closeted” until they gain tenure? Yes and no, according to a new book-length study of right-leaning humanities and social science professors. The closeted part -- that’s true: about one-third of professors choose not to disclose their right-of-center economic or social views, or both, until they’ve secured a promotion to associate professor. But overall, notions of conservative professors being ostracized among their peers and generally miserable seem exaggerated, according to the study -- at least in some disciplines. In fact, there are plenty of conservative scholars who -- while periodically annoyed at their colleagues -- are successful and happy in academe. What’s more, the book says, attacks on the liberal university from Republican politicians only perpetuate the problem of political homogeneity. Perhaps most significantly, the book discusses the pros and cons of a kind of affirmative action for conservative professors (spoiler: most subjects vaguely like the idea but don’t support it as policy).

March 30, 2016 ・ From Inside Higher Ed