A history professor with four decades of experience at Harvard University has openly criticized the institution for its race-focused hiring and admissions policies, its troubling lack of response to anti-Semitism, and its diminishing commitment to teaching Western history.
In a piece for Compact Magazine titled “Why I’m Leaving Harvard University,” James Hankins expressed that his choice was primarily a result of the school’s shift towards diversity quotas, which he believes altered “the way we operate” and disadvantaged applicants who didn’t fit the preferred demographic.
Hankins recalled that in 2020, during the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, “Universities took a collective knee.” He noted that this was more than just a superficial gesture; it had significant ramifications for their operations. While assessing graduate student applications that fall, he encountered a standout candidate who would typically have been highly regarded. However, he was informed by a committee member that admitting a white male that year was “not going to happen.”
This issue, he found, wasn’t exclusive to Harvard. Discussions with colleagues revealed a similar pattern of “unspoken protocols” across various institutions.
Hankins added that the only exception to the exclusion of white men seemed to arise when they had transitioned from female identities.
His frustrations were deepened by Harvard’s insufficient handling of anti-Semitism in 2023, which he labeled as “shocking indifference.”
He also critiqued the agency’s COVID-19 measures, which reflect an uncritical acceptance of scientific literature and a concerning intrusion into personal lives authorized by public power.
On a broader scale, Hankins cautioned that universities have long neglected their duty to seriously teach Western Civilization, which he sees as harmful to both students and society at large. He pointed out that replacing lessons in Western civilization with a more generalized world history has detrimental effects, stating, “If you don’t teach young people what civilization is, they end up becoming uncivilized.” He expressed concern that, through either neglect or hostility, Western history appears to be dwindling at Harvard.
Hankins contrasted historical teaching practices in China, where national identity and patriotism are reinforced, with how American institutions often approach Western history—frequently by criticizing or seeking to dismantle it. He mentioned that in the hands of those with ultra-progressive views, Western world history can take on an openly anti-Western tone.
According to Hankins, the decline at Harvard began decades earlier. He indicated that during the 1990s, pressure to hire more female staff led to a relaxation of certain long-held standards. At that time, women comprised less than 10 percent of history Ph.D.s and were especially scarce in mid-career positions.
Now, he is relocating to the University of Florida’s Hamilton School of Classical and Civic Education, which, he says, remains committed to Western civilization studies and welcomes “a formidable population of white men” whose qualifications might not meet traditional university expectations.
Hankins concluded that it’s evident why Harvard and its peers in the Ivy League are not conducive to revitalizing courses in the Western tradition. While he understands the desire for change within existing educational institutions, he believes, “Right now, the better hope lies in building new institutions unencumbered by the corruption and self-loathing that infected the old institutions.”
