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CATEGORY: ECONOMY (16 MIN)
The H.R. department has become a staple of the modern office—in any show or movie about a business, you’re familiar with their many caricatures. H.R. workers have become what many would consider a vital part of everyday corporate life. But could one challenge the assumption that their presence is necessary?
Helen Andrews does just that in The Lamp. Andrews not only criticizes human resources departments as unnecessary, but she also argues that they harm the American culture by taking too many women away from family life into “fake” jobs. To make her point, Andrews draws on the history of the H.R. department itself.
The H.R. explosion, Andrews writes, came during the 1960s in coordination with the civil rights movement and anti-discrimination. She finds it odd that non-lawyer departments began to grow dramatically in attempting to comply with convoluted law. The civilians tasked with showing a company’s commitment to diversity began to try and outdo one another in enforcement, Andrews says.
Andrews also compares H.R. with the role of unions—both are meant to protect the rights of employees in some way, but Andrews believes unions carry a more masculine connotation, while H.R. departments are more feminine. She also points out that they rest on diametrically opposed views of employer-employee relationships.
Read more of Andrews’ thoughts here.
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Weekly Poll
RESULTS: 2/1/24
Last week, we asked: Do you think the U.S. should restrict both illegal and legal immigration? Here are the results:
[A] Yes - 50.7%
[B] No, only restrict illegal immigration - 49.3%
[C] Unsure/Other - 0%
Do you think overregulation has caused administrative bloat within companies?
[A] Yes
[B] No
[C] Unsure
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CATEGORY: LEADERSHIP (5 MIN)
In an era when most Americans complain about the quality of our country’s leadership, few have actually decided to do something about it. Where will the next great generation come from? The prospects seem especially grim when considering the educational opportunities for young leaders.
ISI President Johnny Burtka has compiled a response to this void in American leadership. In his new book, Gateway to Statesmanship: Selections from Xenophon to Churchill, Burtka renews the tradition of “mirrors-for-princes” literature; works that helped statesmen analyze their own strengths and weaknesses.
Burtka published an adapted excerpt from Gateway to Statesmanship in Newsweek overviewing the purpose and importance of his work. He asks why modern society seems to have forgotten the “mirrors-for-princes” tradition, and he concludes that education generally avoids true primary sources and overemphasizes the advice of the present day. As a result, virtues which were once universally respected have disappeared from leadership.
Burtka has responded by collecting some of the greatest pieces of advice from some of the most legendary figures in wisdom literature. As he puts it, “it's important to connect the world of theory to the world of action.”
Read Burtka’s piece right here.
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CATEGORY: PODCAST EPISODE
In this episode, Fisher Derderian, President of the Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation, joins the podcast to talk about:
- all things related to Roger Scruton, from his concept of “oikophilia” to his views on conservation and his aesthetic theory
Texts Mentioned:
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41st Annual Viennese Waltz Ball
February 17th, 2024
Join ISI on Saturday, February 17th, at The Organization of American States for the 41st Annual Evening of Viennese Waltzing.
It will be a night of silk top hats, furs, dance cards, champagne, and flaming crepes as more than 200 couples recreate the sumptuous balls of turn-of-the-century Vienna.
Join us in Washington, DC >>>
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Gateway to Statesmanship Book Launch with Johnny Burtka
February 22nd, 2024
Join us for an enlightening evening at the Linda L. Bean Center as we celebrate the launch of the much-anticipated book, Gateway to Statesmanship: Selections from Xenophon to Churchill. This event starts at 6:00 PM with a welcoming reception, offering a chance to mingle, enjoy refreshments, and prepare for an evening of intellectual discussion.
As the reception winds down, we transition into a compelling panel discussion featuring Enrique Pallares and Joseph Prud’homme, renowned for their deep insights into political and philosophical thought. This discussion will delve into the book’s exploration of statesmanship, not just as a political art but as a comprehensive study of human thought and action.
Join us in Wilmington, DE >>>
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Conservative Book of the Year Award Ceremony and Reception
March 15th, 2024
The Intercollegiate Studies Institute proudly announces Chris Rufo as the winner of the 2024 Conservative Book of the Year Award for his exceptional work, America’s Cultural Revolution: How the Radical Left Conquered Everything. This book stands as a beacon of insightful analysis and thought-provoking commentary in today’s dynamic cultural landscape.
Join us for an evening of recognition and celebration at the prestigious National Press Club on Friday, March 15, as we honor the Conservative Book of the Year. The ceremony will commence at 6 PM, starting with a cocktail hour from 6:00 – 7:00 PM that offers attendees a chance to mingle and discuss the thought-provoking works of our finalists. The award ceremony and acceptance speech will follow from 7:00 – 8:00 PM.
Join us in Washington, DC >>>
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Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.
IUPUI invites rape erotica author to teach BDSM to students via The Collegiate Commons
“The IUPUI Office of Health and Wellness is planning to host an Introduction to Bondage (a form of BDSM) workshop on Feb. 13 at 5 pm in the Campus Center Room 305. The description asks interested students to register in advance for the event, explaining that the workshop is ‘free and open to all IUPUI students.’”
This story was picked up by Campus Reform, and the workshop has since been cancelled due to backlash.
Student Assembly Rejects Resolution 51, Calling for Cornell to Divest from “Violence Against Civilians in Gaza” via Cornell Review
“On Thursday evening, the Student Assembly voted down Resolution 51, calling for Cornell to divest from, ‘systematic violence against civilians in Gaza.’ The vote was 16-4 against the resolution.”
Congress to Campus: Mimi Walters and Alan Lowenthal Talk Partisanship at Pepperdine via The Pepperdine Beacon
“Through the association of Former Members of Congress (FMC), a flagship program called Congress to Campus has provided undergraduate students with a unique perspective into civic service for over forty years... Pepperdine’s Seaver College and the School of Public Policy had the fortunate opportunity to partake in this program and welcome two former Congress members to the university’s sunny Malibu campus. On January 22, Mimi Walters (R-CA) and Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) gave an evening lecture on the values of healthy partisanship to Pepperdine faculty and students.”
Pro-Palestine Activists Call to Halt Pitzer's Study Abroad in Israel via The Claremont Independent
“On Friday, February 2nd, approximately 200 students from the Claremont Colleges gathered at Pitzer College to demand Pitzer suspend its academic partnership with the University of Haifa, an Israeli university.”
Thinking Inside the Box via The Harvard Salient
“Freshman orientation is traditionally a time to become acquainted with one’s new school, to get to know one’s classmates and plant the seeds for future friendships. As one particular orientation activity made clear, however, Harvard’s approach to ‘getting to know’ one’s fellow freshmen entails more than standard icebreakers; rather, the university appears to believe that becoming acquainted with others requires labeling them.” |
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CATEGORY: CULTURE (20 MIN)
For the past few decades, feminism has become the norm in nearly every circle of American life. It has transformed the workplace, the home, and most institutions in our nation. Before this culture-changing phenomenon, several authors attempted to predict the future of the movement with varying degrees of success.
For this week’s Intercollegiate Review archive, Scott Yenor reviews several of these books and gives his own thoughts on the future of the family in a post-feminist world. Some authors thought the feminist movement could not long survive due to the genetic differences between men and women. Yenor notes that no matter how much else has changed, the basic physical differences between men and women have not.
Other writers thought feminists would eventually come back to the institutions of motherhood and the home, finding the workplace an unfulfilling place. Yenor believes these prognosticators underestimated the power of feminism and its effect on women’s habits.
Only a few projected the drastic results of the feminist movement. As Yenor puts it, “More women, each generation, have no children and go through life without marrying. Male irresponsibility in the form of pornography, virtual-reality relationships, compulsive video-game playing, or underemployment escalates. These results are sown into the nature of feminism.”
Yenor proposes part-time work as a way to bridge the gap between the family and the workplace. Read his entire article here.
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Thought of the Day:
“[Masculinity] is achieved by a revolt from woman, and it is confirmed only by other men. Manhood coerced into sensitivity is no manhood at all.”
- Camille Paglia
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Join ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club
It’s never been easier for you to support our mission—and stay part of our community—with ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club!
For just $19.53 a month, you can join the fight and “pay it forward” by educating the next generation for ordered liberty.
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