Penn Announces Controversial Cartoonist to Lead Fall Course
Controversial Cartoons Spark Debate in Academia
Dwayne Booth’s provocative work (asc.upenn.edu), including his contentious cartoons (clowncrack.com)
Despite creating contentious anti-Semitic imagery, Dwayne Booth is set to educate on the nuances of political humor at the University of Pennsylvania this fall, the school affirmed.
Back in the Lectern: Exploring the Boundaries of Political Satire – This is the core of Booth’s course “Sick and Satired: The Insanity of Humor and How it Keeps Us Sane.” The syllabus promises a deep dive into how satire reflects and refracts societal divides, with a lens on politics, culture, and faith.
The announcement comes on the heels of heated controversy surrounding
anti-Semitic illustrations created by Booth, under his pseudonym “Mr. Fish.”
One graphic in particular reimagines the malicious blood libel trope with a modern spin, while others juxtapose the Holocaust with current geopolitical conflicts, challenging the viewer’s ethical and historical perceptions.
Interim Penn President Larry Jameson, labeling the visuals as “reprehensible,” held fast to the university’s staunch stance on free speech and has abstained from disciplining Booth, reaffirming Booth’s academic role.
Course Listings and Student Reactions
“Sick and Satired” has been previously taught by Booth and is returning for the 2024 academic year. Penn’s course directory has been updated, coinciding with the enrolment roll-out, igniting mixed reactions from students.
Noah Rubin, a Penn junior, shared his dismay saying,
“The decision to allow Booth’s rehiring is outrageous. I can’t fathom attending his class, and I feel my Jewish peers share this sentiment.”
Rubin also highlighted his unaddressed concerns regarding academic freedom and student wellbeing within Booth’s classroom.
Penn’s Precedent with Academic Expression
The defense of Booth’s academic presence is contrasted with the suspension of law professor Amy Wax for her vocal criticisms on diversity, revealing inconsistencies in the enforcement of free expression at Penn.
Responses to requests for comments from both Booth and Penn have yet to be received.
Nevertheless, Booth has garnered extensive support from the university’s administration and faculty, with public declarations stressing the importance of safeguarding academic liberties amidst threats of harassment and institutional reputation damage.
Booth has recently spoken out in defense of his work, arguing that his cartoons are misinterpreted when removed from their intended context—a concomitant to critical columns alleging severe misconduct by Israel against Palestinian territories.
Ultimately, this tumultuous dialog within Penn presents a broader conversation on the balance between freedom of expression and the cultural sensitivities that shape our collective academic and civic engagement.
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