Month: March 2019

Safety first (or not): Jonathan Zimmerman on ideas that offend

On By W.W. NortonIn How Can We Bridge The Differences That Divide Us?, What's College For?42 Comments

Here’s an idea: we want our classrooms and campuses to be safe spaces for everyone to be able to learn and explore new concepts and information. That shouldn’t be such a controversial statement, should it? Well, that depends. What does “safe” mean? What does "everyone" mean? Jonathan Zimmerman, a professor of the history of education, …

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Dear Sir or Madam: Ellen Barry on gender-specific forms of address

On By W.W. NortonIn What's Gender Got to Do with It?15 Comments

Dear Sir. Or Madam. Or, y’know, whatever. Does it matter?  For many people, it matters a lot. Ellen Barry, a London-based correspondent for the New York Times, filed this March 2019 report detailing a British newspaper’s controversy around the proper form of addressing letters to the editor. Lest you think that only the Brits would …

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