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Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
This is fundamentally correct - Ferguson indeed has found his conservatism can be a substitute for rigor, and he is exactly what I'm talking about in terms of conservatives who maintain a position in academe because schools want a token conservative, despite his work being of poor quality. If Ferguson were moderate or liberal, he would have struggled to get tenure at a modest midwestern school. Just about every notable school has a Ferguson or two they can point to (other than Dartmouth, which buys them wholesale).
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I'm aware (quite well, as I know someone who's worked with him) of Ferguson's shortcomings. But I think you're a bit harsh here. He does have respected works in his canon. It's his later stuff that lacks underpinning and seems designed for middle minded readers.
And he is an insightful guest on various podcasts and programs. There's a mind willing to admit the other side's points there, unlike D'Souza, who seems pathologically unhinged and rabid toward Obama.
