More on the faculty diversity front: criminologists who claim special authority and expertise because they were once convicted criminals themselves. This is an interesting expansion of academic identity politics--the central tenet of which, boiled down, is that it takes one to know one. Such logic is routinely used to bolster arguments for making race and gender a factor in hiring and admissions and for creating academically dubious sub-specialties, like women's studies. But now we are, perhaps, seeing the logic of identity politics come into its own. If it's reasonable to argue that, for example, only blacks can teach black history (and many think it is), it must also be reasonable to argue that only an ex-convict can teach about prison with proper conviction.

Thanks to Twilight of the Idols for the link.

UPDATE: Big Arm Woman gets the last word. Do not read while mouth is full.