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Hank Reichman

@hankreichman.bsky.social

510 followers 500 following 160 posts

Former AAUP Vice-President; Former Chair AAUP Committee A; Author, The Future of Academic Freedom (Johns Hopkins U. P., 2019); Understanding Academic Freedom (JHUP, 2021, 2025). Prof. Emer., CSU East Bay. Historian of Russia/Soviet Union.

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Hank Reichman @hankreichman.bsky.social · Jul 3

“The best book there is on the topic.”—Joan W. Scott. Through July 10, get 40% off on UNDERSTANDING ACADEMIC FREEDOM and all JHUP books. Use code H4JUL25. www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/.... #Academia

Understanding Academic Freedom

In the evolving landscape of academic freedom in America, this second edition addresses the latest challenges and developments in the field.Since the publication of the first edition of Understanding ...

www.press.jhu.edu

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AAUP @aaup.org · 1d

Hank Reichman, professor emeritus of history at Cal State, East Bay; former AAUP vice-president & chair of the AAUP Foundation, on the similarities between Trump & Ice to Ivan the Terrible & his Oprichniki.

@hankreichman.bsky.social

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Hank Reichman @hankreichman.bsky.social · 2d

Trump's latest plan to invade Portland (of all places) reminded me of this piece about the late civil libertarian Hans Linde at a time when the Proud Boys -- not yet officially deputized -- were running riot in that city's streets. Worth a read today. academeblog.org/2020/09/03/h...

Hans Linde, Jurist, Constitutional Scholar, and AAUP Leader, 1924-2020

BY HANK REICHMAN Hans A. Linde, a leading legal scholar who served on the Oregon Supreme Court from 1976 to 1990 and whose writings energized efforts to turn to state constitutions and courts in de…

academeblog.org

Hank Reichman @hankreichman.bsky.social · 3d

Waste and abuse for sure. Maybe fraud as well?

ProPublica @propublica.org · 3d

#ICYMI: GOP lawmakers cite Georgia’s Pathways to Coverage as a national model for federal Medicaid work requirements that are set to take effect in 2027.

A GAO report shows the program has spent twice as much on administrative costs as on health care.

Georgia’s Medicaid Work Requirement Program Spent Twice as Much on Administrative Costs as on Health Care, GAO Says

Republican lawmakers cite Georgia’s Pathways to Coverage as a national model for federal Medicaid work requirements that are set to take effect in 2027. A new report shows the program has spent at lea...

www.propublica.org

Hank Reichman @hankreichman.bsky.social · 3d

Putting my Russian history training to use. #Academia #Russia

Donald the Terrible and His Oprichniki

BY HANK REICHMAN The image above is from an AI video that the GREAT (and demented) LEADER himself posted to social media. It reminded me of an historical analogy I’ve been mulling over …

academeblog.org

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Bradford Vivian @bradvivian.bsky.social · 6d

Re-upping in light of the censorious, illiberal, unconstitutional “compact” with universities announced today…

#EduSky

www.chronicle.com/article/inst...

Institutional Neutrality Is Censorship by Another Name

Its recent vogue owes much to conservative think tanks.

www.chronicle.com

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Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 8d

"Blistering opinion" is absolutely right. But this principled, outraged ruling is an entirely appropriate response to Trump's effort to imprison and deport people for their constitutionally protected speech. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Judge issues blistering opinion against Trump policy to deport pro-Palestinian students

Judge rules non-citizens have the same free speech rights as US citizens under the first amendment

www.theguardian.com

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Lauren Lassabe Shepherd @llassabe.bsky.social · 10d

Brought to us, in part, by the eugenicists!

Had so much fun in this conversation about the birth of the AAUP with @hankreichman.bsky.social, who was a great sport

Everyone go join your chapter

www.buzzsprout.com/2396665/epis...

Creating the AAUP with Henry Reichman - American Campus Podcast

Brought to us, in part, by the race scientistsReferences mentioned this episode:Henry Reichman. 2025. Understanding Academic Freedom, 2nd edition. Johns Hopkins University Press. J. McKeen Cattel...

www.buzzsprout.com

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Hank Reichman @hankreichman.bsky.social · 13d

Government gangsters

Brad Lander @bradlander.bsky.social · 13d

I was back at 26 Federal Plaza today, where an ICE agent violently threw this bereft woman to the ground in front of her kids. She had not touched him. She did not pose any threat. She had to be taken to the hospital. (🎥: Elias Eliahu)

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Toby Higbie @thigbie.bsky.social · 13d

It’s official! We’re launching the UCLA Department of Labor Studies. After years of building as a small but mighty “program,” Labor Studies has been elevated to departmental status. We’re the first but hopefully not the last of our kind in the UC system.

UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 13d

We are thrilled to announce that UCLA Labor Studies is now officially a department!🎉

The UCLA Labor Studies Department is the first of its kind at the UC

Read more about this historic development here: irle.ucla.edu/2025/09/25/u...

RELEASE– Historic first: UCLA launches Labor Studies Department

UCLA Labor Studies undergraduate major and minor will expand as a new academic department

irle.ucla.edu

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Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 14d

BREAKING: A federal judge has ordered the University of South Dakota to reinstate a professor who posted criticism of Charlie Kirk on his Facebook page the day of the shooting, finding the action likely violated the First Amendment. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 14d

The richest man on earth owns X.

The second richest man on earth is about to be a major owner of TikTok.

The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.

See the problem here?

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Elizabeth Warren @warren.senate.gov · 14d

Donald Trump wants to lend $20 billion of our money to bail out a political ally and his global investors before an election.

Oh, and Argentina just struck a major deal with China that crushes American soybean farmers already suffering from Trump's tariffs.

“America First.”

Bessent Says US in Talks With Argentina Over $20 Billion Lifeline

The US plans to extend a $20 billion swap line to Argentina and is ready to buy the country’s foreign bonds, providing much-needed financial support to President Javier Milei as he tries to regain inv...

www.bloomberg.com

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Economic Policy Institute @epi.org · 14d

In 2024, teachers earned 73 cents for every dollar their similarly educated peers made, on average—a record low.

In 1996, the gap was much smaller: teachers earned 94 cents for every dollar.

We need to pay teachers more! How? By investing in public education.

www.epi.org/publication/...

The teacher pay penalty reached a record high in 2024: Three decades of leaving public school teachers behind

Over the past three decades, stagnant weekly wages of public school teachers have fallen further and further behind those of college graduates who chose other careers, resulting in an ever increasing ...

www.epi.org

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Eric Columbus @ericcolumbus.bsky.social · 17d

Former counselor to RFK Jr’s predecessor:

Sarah Despres @sarahdespres
X.com
I see @SecKennedy was able to attend Charlie Kirk's memorial. It's unfortunate the Secretary of HHS was not able to attend the funeral of Officer David Rose who was killed in the senseless attack on the CDC, one of the agencies within @hhs.
6:56 PM • 9/21/25 • 808 Views

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AAUP @aaup.org · 18d

The new reality that is emerging in Texas is that certain topics or ideas are simply off the table in the classroom.

The censorship of academic speech and entire fields of knowledge in service to an ideology poses an unprecedented danger to the future of higher education.

#AcademicFreedom

How a secret recording of a gender identity lecture upended Texas A&M

Officials have struggled to detail the exact reasons for the A&M professor’s termination, citing a technical issue with her course description. Faculty say the move was politically motivated.

www.texastribune.org

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Hank Reichman @hankreichman.bsky.social · 19d

“Every one of us will be confronted with allies we do not agree with, or even like. Solidarity requires making peace with that discomfort.”

Hank Reichman @hankreichman.bsky.social · 19d

“‘Solidarity’ sounds grand and heroic. In reality, it means holding hands not just with admirable men and women, but with people you don’t like. People whose preferences, miens, and prior judgments are foolish, or priggish, or worse.” open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...

The New York Times and Anti-Anti-Fascism

On the burdens of solidarity.

open.substack.com

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AAUP chapter @UT Austin @utaustinaaup.bsky.social · 19d

“What started with lawmakers weaponizing their platforms against civil servants has morphed into a statewide directive to hunt down and fire educators for opinions shared on their personal social media accounts,” said Zeph Capo, president of Texas AFT.

The Dallas Morning News @dallasnews.com · 19d

In the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Texas’ college campuses and public schools are once again emerging as the front lines of a battle over free speech.y don’t.

Charlie Kirk assassination spurs debate over free speech on Texas campuses

Kirk’s supporters say his death demonstrates the extreme consequences conservatives can face when expressing their beliefs. Free speech advocates say...

www.dallasnews.com

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AAUP @aaup.org · 19d

“What’s so striking here...is that this is allegedly all about antisemitism, & almost nothing in the demand letter is actually about addressing antisemitism nor does it even reference or discuss all the things that universities have done to address alleged antisemitism.”

Groups sue administration over funding freeze at University of California

A coalition of groups representing faculty members, students and staff members at UC campuses are challenging frozen federal research funding at UCLA and other federal actions.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Academe @academemagazine.bsky.social · 19d

Andrew Ryder’s The Challenge to Academic Freedom in Hungary “illustrates how reactionary campaigns against higher education are not only a response to the rise of academic capitalism but also in some ways a fulfillment of that program,” writes @hankreichman.bsky.social in a review for #Academe.

Between Scylla and Charybdis

Henry Reichman reviews The Challenge to Academic Freedom in Hungary by Andrew Ryder.

www.aaup.org

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ryan cooper @ryanlcooper.com · 19d

"Right now, Beijing is offering cheap, clean power, employment, trade and a route to prosperity. Washington is offering tariffs, policy chaos, White nationalist memes and South Korean workers in shackles after a raid on an EV battery factory." www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

China’s Marshall Plan Is Running on Batteries

Beijing’s green energy projects are bringing jobs, growth and cheap electricity to the developing world.

www.bloomberg.com

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AAUP @aaup.org · 19d

“What we in academia cannot look away from & what surely needs more attention, however, are Kirk’s actions, rarely dwelt upon by commentators who seem to buy the line that his main activity involved debating opponents on campus.”
— @hankreichman.bsky.social

Academe @academemagazine.bsky.social · 19d

New on Academe Blog: academeblog.org/2025/09/19/t...

Thoughts on Charlie Kirk, Professor Watchlist, and the New York Times

BY HANK REICHMAN Charlie Kirk did not deserve to die. As so many have pointed out, political violence—whatever the source—must be condemned for both its immorality and its destruc…

academeblog.org

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Hank Reichman @hankreichman.bsky.social · 19d

I have some thoughts. #Academia academeblog.org/2025/09/19/t...

Thoughts on Charlie Kirk, Professor Watchlist, and the New York Times

BY HANK REICHMAN Charlie Kirk did not deserve to die. As so many have pointed out, political violence—whatever the source—must be condemned for both its immorality and its destructiven…

academeblog.org

Reposted by Hank Reichman

Adam Bonin @adambonin.bsky.social · 20d

My mom called me last night about the Kimmel firing, saying "This is how Hitler got started!" I quickly responded, "By firing the late night tv hosts?"

Turns out, mom was right.

Goebbels Ends Careers of Five 'Aryan' Actors Who Made Witticisms About the Nazi Regime

Feb. 4, 1939

February 4, 1939, Page 1

BERLIN, Feb. 3.—Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels today ended the professional careers of five "Aryan" actors and cabaret announcers by expelling them from the Reich's Chamber of Culture on the grounds that “in their public appearances they displayed a lack of any positive attitude toward National Socialism and therewith caused grave annoyance in public and especially to party comrades.” The five include perhaps the best known German stage comedians who survived previous Chamber of Culture purges and still dared to indulge in political witticisms—namely, Werner Finck, Peter Sachse and “The Three Rulands,” represented by Helmuth Buth, Wilhelm Meissner and Manfred Dlugi. Their expulsion means that they are henceforth forbidden to appear before the public in Germany.

Besides motivating this action in an official communiqué, Dr. Goebbels also publishes a long article in the Voelkischer Beobachter in which he denounces them as “brazen, impertinent, arrogant and tactless" and generally imitators and successors to Jews. Simultaneously he denounces the "society rabble that followed them with thundering applause—parasitic scum, inhabiting our luxury streets, that seems to have only the task of proving with how little brains people can get along and even acquire money and prominence."

As regards the details of the "crimes" of which the five are accused, Dr. Goebbels mentions that they made political witticisms about the colonial problem, the Four-Year Plan and Chancellor Hitler's monumental building program and one of them even raised the question of whether there was any humor left in Germany today.

What amused the public most, however, and presumably roiled the National Socialist authorities most—although Dr. Goebbels does not mention it—is that they deftly, but unmistakably, caricatured some gestures, poses and physical characteristics of Nat…

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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 20d

So, a university president fired a professor because they taught a course that discussed there being more than two genders, and now the university president is being fired for not having fired the professor quickly enough, is where we're at. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/u...

Texas A&M President to Step Down After Controversy Over ‘Gender Ideology’

www.nytimes.com

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