A campus conflict over war meets the announcement of a “genius” grant

Many scientists were among 22 fellows who on Tuesday received an $800,000 grant from the MacArthur Foundation, which they can spend over the next five years on a project of their choice.

The award, commonly known as a “genius” grant, is usually a cause for celebration and pride among both the winners and their associated institutions. But in at least one case this year, the announcement sparked a moment of conflict stemming from the discord that has raged on college campuses since the war between Israel and Hamas began a year ago.

Princeton University issued a press release announcing that Ruha Benjamin, professor of African American studies, has been awarded a 2024 MacArthur Fellowship for “showing how technology reflects and reproduces social inequalities and supporting the role of imagination in social transformation.”

The statement did not include any direct quotes from Benjamin, however, because, as X wrote Tuesday afternoon, she asked the university to “describe in detail my response” to her question about its immediate reaction to news of the award – or “don’t quote me at all.” “.

Instead, Benjamin posted screenshots of her original answer to this and another question on X, which included references to her position on the Middle East war.

“The moment of pure joy and excitement was tempered by the feeling that the same institutions that are quick to celebrate our achievements are slow to respond to students’ demands to expose and end genocidal violence,” Benjamin wrote. “In fact, the date of the award announcement coincides with the date of a court hearing in the case of Princeton students who participated in sit-ins on campus last spring. “I intend to ‘share’ the reward by appearing in court.”

Like many colleges and universities over the past year, Princeton has grappled with balancing free speech with campus safety, drawing criticism from both Israel and Palestinian supporters; Yesterday, 15 pro-Palestinian protesters who were arrested on Princeton’s campus in April for allegedly violating university policies were scheduled to go on trial.

Princeton officials declined to comment on the matter Inside the Higher Edition about Benjamin’s statements, although in a press release President Christopher L. Eisgruber described her as “a remarkably original and creative thinker, writer and educator who inspires her students and readers.”

Other scientific winners

In addition to Benjamin, the group of scholarship holders associated with higher education institutions also includes:

• Loka Ashwood, sociologist at the University of Kentucky for “shedding light on rural identity and culture and the ecological, economic, and social challenges facing many rural communities.”

• Jericho Brown, poet at Emory University for “reflecting on contemporary culture and identity in works that combine formal experimentation with intense self-analysis.”
• Tony Coke, professor in the Department of Modern Culture and Media at Brown University for “creating video works that recontextualize historical and cultural moments.”
• Nicole Dell, computer science and computer science major at Cornell Tech for “developing technology interventions that address the specific needs and concerns of overlooked populations, particularly survivors of intimate partner violence and home health care workers.”
• jennifer morgan, historian at New York University for “deepening understanding of how the exploitation of enslaved women enabled the institutionalization of racially motivated slavery in early America and the Black Atlantic.”
• Marta Munoz, evolutionary biologist at Yale University for “the study of factors that influence the rates and patterns of evolution.”
• Shailaja Paik, historian at the University of Cincinnati for “exploring the intersection of caste, gender, and sexuality in contemporary India through the lives of Dalit women.”
• Joseph Parker, evolutionary biologist at the California Institute of Technology for “discovering the origins of symbiosis in rove beetles and the evolution of complex features of organisms.”
• Dorothy Roberts, lawyer and public policy researcher at the University of Pennsylvania for “exposing the racial inequalities embedded in social service systems and uplifting the experiences of people caught up in them.”
• Keivan G. Stassun, scientist and educator at Vanderbilt University, for expanding opportunities in STEM for underrepresented populations.