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I had hoped that academia had grown out of this sort of thing: senior academics penning spiteful little lists of people they don't rate and getting their friends to publish them. Academic exchange can be so much better than this. standpointmag.co.uk/issues/july-au…
I've been lucky enough to work with some really distinguished historians - far better scholars than I'll ever be. The ones I most admire have been open, generous & unassuming - the type who'd come to hear MA students speak so they could learn from them (& not say who they were).
At a time when "the British people have had enough of experts", academia needs to lose the sense of self-importance that fuels these childish spats. (Most of the really great academics never had it, which was a useful guard against complacency).
Academia is about argument, so let's engage robustly & critically - but with evidence, respect & openness to being wrong, not by passing around these ghastly little lists of people we think are "overrated". Sorry to see Black descending to this - & thanks to all those who don't.
