The MLA and the Taliban

Interesting piece from the Boston Globe's Ideas section on how the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were treated at the latest Modern Language Association convention. A snippet:

Just a few years ago, [young assistant professor of English Aaron Santesso] noted, the Taliban was regularly attacked at MLA meetings for their treatment of women and likened to the American religious right. Now, there is only talk of how the United States has taken away the rights of the Afghan people.

Santesso said he gains a good perspective from his students, most of whom he characterized as "libertarian conservatives." Most of the debate at the MLA, he said, "would completely alienate my students."

Whole thing here.