This Chicago economist has angered a lot of his fellow econs.
His engagement with #blacklives matter is to not to engage the issues, but launch into a sophomoric debate about language, and to condescendingly try to ridicule the movement.
But it’s worse. It’s part of a pattern.
His engagement with #blacklives matter is to not to engage the issues, but launch into a sophomoric debate about language, and to condescendingly try to ridicule the movement.
But it’s worse. It’s part of a pattern.
Uhlig’s first response to the protests doesn’t engage with the problems of racism. Rather he appears more upset about looting. He argues (without irony!) that those protesting police violence should be “scheduling demos in cooperation with authorities.”
Or in the wake of White Supremacists killing an anti-racism protestor in Charlottesville in 2017, you might think the problem was the white supremacists. But not, our Harald. He’s worried about the anti-racism protestors. Both sides, and all that. haralduhlig.blogspot.com/2017/08/is-new… 
In the wake of Charlottesville, I kid you not, his concern was with a media report that showed a photo of a protestor he found rather attractive. He’s not worried about White Supremacists in Charlottesville. The real problem is the media propaganda showing Sexy Protestors.™
He’s so fascinated by Charlottesville he returns to the topic. White Nationalist violence isn't his concern. Our Harald thinks he has an important point: The anti-racism protestors didn’t have a permit for their rally (and the White Nationalists did).
haralduhlig.blogspot.com/2017/08/charlo…
haralduhlig.blogspot.com/2017/08/charlo…
Uhlig has also written about the earlier peaceful protests about police brutality and racism, writing that “I disagree with the actions of Kaepernick.”
Even the NFL (now, finally!) sees that as an indefensible position.
haralduhlig.blogspot.com/2016/09/kaeper…
Even the NFL (now, finally!) sees that as an indefensible position.
haralduhlig.blogspot.com/2016/09/kaeper…
How would Uhlig see the NFL respond to Kaepernick's protests? According to Uhlig’s rich moral calculus, it depends on how “many fans are repulsed by the actions of Kaepernick.”
If a lot of fans are repulsed by Kaepernick's protest, then Kaep's pay should be cut or he should be fired. But if Kaep is "contributing to the bottom line" then "they should pay Kaepernick a bonus."
I reject this amoral calculus.
I reject this amoral calculus.
And then we have Uhlig in 2017 drawing an equivalence between Kaepernick's peaceful protest on one side and the confederate flag and the Ku Klux Klan on the other.
He's here to let us know that if you support one, you've gotta support the other.
haralduhlig.blogspot.com/2017/09/would-…
He's here to let us know that if you support one, you've gotta support the other.
haralduhlig.blogspot.com/2017/09/would-…
Look, it’s not one tweet. I see a pattern — of seeing very fine people on both sides. He’s devoted more of his blog ("Macro and more") defending the poor folks getting screwed when all they want is to do their racism in peace, than to the economic issues he’s supposedly expert in
I'm no fan of twitter pile-ons, or call-out culture. A single tweet won't get me upset. But reading through @haralduhlig's public writing reveals a pattern that's a bit too revealing.
Put it all together, I have no confidence in Harald Uhlig's judgment as a social scientist.
I don’t think he sees the broad social, economic and political issues of the day with any clarity.
And I don't think his views represent the broader field of economics at all well.
I don’t think he sees the broad social, economic and political issues of the day with any clarity.
And I don't think his views represent the broader field of economics at all well.
I don’t think it’s just or fair that Uhlig, as an editor at the @JPolEcon is an important gatekeeper for economists trying to make their mark.
I don’t think the profession’s resolve to look more deeply into racial justice will get a fair hearing under his editorship.
I don’t think the profession’s resolve to look more deeply into racial justice will get a fair hearing under his editorship.
I'm not calling Uhlig racist. But this pattern or ill-considered writing is systematic enough that it has led me to question his judgment.
As such, I call on @haralduhlig to resign his editorship at the @JPolEcon.
And I invite other senior economists to join me in doing so.
As such, I call on @haralduhlig to resign his editorship at the @JPolEcon.
And I invite other senior economists to join me in doing so.
Lemme amplify some important voices, who spoke on this earlier & with greater courage:
If you need more evidence of a systematic pattern in Uhlig's writings, a friend directed me to this example in which Uhlig argues the real diversity problem at the Oscars isn't the absence of African-American nominees, but rather too many beautiful actors. nytimes.com/2016/01/31/opi…
If you're ready to call for @haralduhlig to resign as editor of @JPolEcon, just add your name at the link.
As @jhaushofer said, “He is entitled to his speech. We're entitled to say he doesn't speak for us, and we don't want him to speak for the JPE.”
As @jhaushofer said, “He is entitled to his speech. We're entitled to say he doesn't speak for us, and we don't want him to speak for the JPE.”
Update: @haralduhlig has offered what he understands to be an apology.
My reading: It's ass-covering, followed by him speaking on behalf of communities of color in a way he has no business doing.
His response does not allay my concerns about his judgment
My reading: It's ass-covering, followed by him speaking on behalf of communities of color in a way he has no business doing.
His response does not allay my concerns about his judgment
RIP my menchies, as the reasoned debate begins.
