We began The HPRgument with the goal of creating a new space on campus for lively discussion of the things that matter — political, cultural, or Harvardian
Since we began three weeks ago, debate on this site has been spirited and engaged: we’ve taken on the racial politics of Avatar, praised Obama’s “shrewd” bank tax, discussed the “ Sociology of Mankiw” and the “ Dim Prospects for Meaningful Financial Reform.” We’ve blogged ruefully about congressional dysfunction here, here and here; called Ross Douthat out for “ phony moderateness;” noted the Harvard Republicans Club new blog; and discussed the Tea Party movement here, here and here. We talked about how we read, and then how the Yalie s do it. We praised Drew Faust for crowdsourcing diabetes research, and then speculated on transfomative implications of Harvard Thinks Big. We debated whether Asians were discriminated against by college admission committees here and here. We asked whether math teaches us how to be good citizens. And we blogged about Iran here and here, Yemen here, China here, Greece here and Israel here, here and (provocatively) here. And much more besides: we’ve written about Citizens United, Scott Brown, sex education, gay marriage, David Paterson, Valerie Jarrett at the Harvard Forum, religion on campus, and more.
It’s been an exciting few weeks in American politics, and the HPRgument has been a part of the discussion — tracing its contours, staking out positions, calling out phonies. And it’s only the beginning. We’ve got a lot more to come.
To students and organizations on campus: if you’re interested in contributing to the HPRgument — in blogging, guest blogging, crossposting photos or articles, publicizing events, telling us how to improve — please contact me, Max Novendstern (mnovends@fas.harvard.edu) or the The Harvard Political Review’s Editor-in-Chief Sam Barr (sbarr@fas.harvard.edu). Thanks my friends. Stay engaged.