“I can’t stand these lustful eunuchs of history, all the seductions of an ascetic ideal; I can’t stand these blanched tombs producing life or those tired and indifferent beings who dress up in the part of wisdom and adopt an objective point of view.” —Nietzche on the objectivity of historians
The Council of the American Historical Association rejected the affiliation application of Historians Against the War. HAW was informed of the rejection in a letter from AHA executive director Arnita A. Jones to Ben Alpers, who filed HAW’s request for affiliation, which read in part:
Dear Dr. Alpers:
I regret to inform you that the Council of the American Historical Association was not able to approve Historians Against the War’s application for affiliation. A majority of the members on Council were troubled by HAW’s membership criteria requiring anyone joining the organization to sign a statement opposing the war. Specifically, members believed this requirement establishes a political litmus test that conflicted with the AHA’s criteria for affiliation. (“The Association will not consider for affiliation any organization that discriminates on the basis of … ideology or political affiliation”). But more generally, a majority of the Council believed that the Association could not confer affiliate status on an organization focused on one side of a current
political debate, rather than historical study of the subject.Given those concerns, we cannot accept your application at this time.
See a list of AHA affiliates here.
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