Maybe Don't Talk to the New York Times About Zohran Mamdani
13 days ago
- #Media Criticism
- #Africana Studies
- #Political Discourse
- The author reflects on receiving inquiries about Zohran Mamdani, a former student at Bowdoin College who became politically prominent.
- Mamdani's major in Africana Studies at Bowdoin drew media attention, with critics framing such programs as promoting leftist orthodoxy.
- The New York Times published an article questioning the influence of Africana Studies on Mamdani's worldview, citing conservative critics like J.D. Vance and the National Association of Scholars.
- The author critiques the Times' 'both sides' reporting style, which gives undue weight to unfounded criticisms without proper scrutiny.
- Despite initial hesitation, the author engaged with a Times reporter to defend Africana Studies but later regretted it, realizing the media's disinterest in substantive academic discourse.
- The article underscores the broader issue of elite media legitimizing biased or funded think-tank opinions under the guise of impartiality.
- The author expresses frustration with the Times' declining journalistic standards but reaffirms the value of rigorous academic disciplines like Africana Studies.