Mansfield Will Go On Leave Next Year

Kenan Professor of Government Harvey C. Mansfield Jr. '53, one of Harvard's most controversial professors, will take the 1997-98 academic year off for study and research.

In an interview, Mansfield said he will research themes he is teaching in his graduate course this spring, Government 2080: "Topics in Political Philosophy: Manliness."

The political theorist, known for his work on Machiavelli, said he will also be working on a new translation of Alexis de Tocqueville's classic Democracy in America.

Mansfield said that he was not concerned about the impact his absence may have upon the government department. "We have a strong complement of political theorists in the department," he said.

For many years Mansfield has taught Government 1060 and 1061, the department's perennial survey of the history of political theory.

But Mansfield suggested that the political-theory survey might be taught by visiting professors.

"The courses 1060 and 1061 I don't regard as my private property," he said. "They are often taught by different people."

Bhikhu Parekh, a visiting professor from the University of Hull, led Government 1061 spring of last year, and professor of Government Richard Tuck taught Government 1060 in the fall.

Mansfield praised Associate Professor of Government Peter J. Berkowitz, with whom he is currently teaching Government 1061. "I always enjoy working with him," said Mansfield, known for his off-beat remarks. "He's young, good-looking and has curly hair."

Mansfield spoke candidly about the sometimes controversial reaction to his conservative views. In past years, Mansfield has been excoriated by students for saying that the presence of black students at the University has prompted grade inflation, and for his criticism last year of a report by President Neil L. Rudenstine defending affirmative-action programs.

"I am usually thought of as conservative," he said, "but beyond and above conservatism is political philosophy, [which is] what I take most seriously."

There is no shortage of praise for Mansfield among his colleagues. Williams Professor of History and Political Science Roderick MacFarquhar hailed Mansfield as "one of the most brilliant political theorists in the country."

Even one of Mansfield's critics had positive things to say for the professor.

"Professor Mansfield is brilliant and an asset to the community," said Jason B. Phillips '99. "Whatever he is doing I hope it's fruitful and [he] comes back."

Phillips was one of the organizers of a fall 1995 protest in Mansfield's class, Moral Reasoning 13: "Realism and Moralism." The protest was held by students in response to Mansfield's criticism of "Diversity and Learning," Rudenstine's report defending racial-preference programs in employment and education.

"We felt that he was writing things that were unwanted and insulting to black students," said Phillips. "There were also comments about Asian students that we felt were wholly inappropriate."

Phillips also said that he felt that Mansfield's comments did not belong in the marketplace of ideas. "Every community has its standards," he said.

"You have a right to utter the words that blacks are inferior [but there is] something bigger than rights, called standards of conduct, which say that you cannot say that," Phillips said.

Mansfield has said that he never intended to say that black students are inferior.

Last spring, Government 1091: "Liberalism and Conservatism in American Politics," led by Mansfield and visiting lecturer George F. Will in Lowell Lecture Hall, also was disrupted by protesting students, who waved signs charging the two professors with homophobia.

Mansfield said that the interruption of that class last year was "really quite worrisome" and "the first time that a professor's classes were actually invaded in order to make a protest.

Last spring, Government 1091: "Liberalism and Conservatism in American Politics," led by Mansfield and visiting lecturer George F. Will in Lowell Lecture Hall, also was disrupted by protesting students, who waved signs charging the two professors with homophobia.

Mansfield said that the interruption of that class last year was "really quite worrisome" and "the first time that a professor's classes were actually invaded in order to make a protest.