New course comes after conservative leaders appointed to board, end of gender studies program
A new class offered at the New College of Florida will have students analyze the “woke” ideology and its impact on today’s culture.
Taught by conservative commentator Andrew Doyle, the course is a sign of the continued changes since Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed new leaders to the public, Sarasota institution two years ago.
In the “‘Woke’ Movement” course, offered in January, students will explore the ideology and the “cult”-like and “dehumanizing behavior” of its adherents, according to a class description, first reported by the Tampa Bay Times.
“More and more people are finding themselves increasingly frustrated and confused by the impact of wokeness on their everyday lives … Good people feel unable to speak their minds for fear of being misinterpreted or mischaracterized, willfully or otherwise,” the course description states.
According to the report:
The class will be led by comedian and conservative commentator Andrew Doyle, an Oxford-trained historian best known for his satirical X persona Titania McGrath, and features readings from activist and New College trustee Christopher Rufo and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Students will also read passages from historian and author Ibram X. Kendi and legal scholar Robin DiAngelo, according to the course description. Both scholars helped popularize critical race theory and have become frequent targets of some free speech activists.
Doyle is a presidential scholar at New College, hired earlier this fall as part of an effort to expand its humanities and classical studies programs, according to a news release. He has a doctorate in literature from the University of Oxford.
Spokesperson Nate March told the newspaper Doyle is a “highly regarded scholar … known for his ability to engage students in critical thinking and complex discussions.”
“At a time when conversations around what is means to be ‘woke’ and what it means to be ‘unwoke’ permeate public discourse, Dr. Doyle’s (class) offers students a unique opportunity to analyze these concepts from multiple perspectives,” March stated.
Many politically left and progressive faculty have left New College since the governor appointed conservative leaders to the board of trustees, The College Fix reported.
In 2023, the trustees voted to end the gender studies program. Along with the changes, the college also has seen a rise in admissions over the past two years.
MORE: Former New College profs create ‘Alt New College,’ host talk ‘Assault on Gender Studies’
IMAGE: New College of Florida/Facebook
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