Latest news with #Kaufmann
Fox News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Democrat professor breaks ranks to challenge wokeness dominating American universities
A Democrat-leaning professor is calling for reforms in the social sciences that have been "captured" by a progressive agenda after joining a coalition of scholars from both sides of the political aisle dedicated to ending wokeness in higher education. "The idea is that really, one would think that when we're talking about science, whether it's social science or medical science or anything like that, political opinion shouldn't matter. It shouldn't cloud the pursuit of truth," Wayne State University professor Jukka Savolainen told Fox News Digital. "And we are doing this because we are convinced with good evidence that this mission has been, this plot has been lost over the years, over the decades, and we want to restore these traditional values of objective inquiry and truth." Savolainen teaches criminal justice and "Sociology of Sport" at Wayne State University in Detroit. While Florida was considering cutting sociology as a core general education requirement in 2023, Savolainen wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal arguing that he saw the discipline "morph from a scientific study of social reality into academic advocacy for left-wing causes." His comments bucked the majority of his academic counterparts who were pushing to "Save Sociology." He added that there are other sociology professors who "silently" agree with him. Now, Savolainen is the point person of the sociology community of the Heterodox Academy. "Eric Kaufman is the director of the Institute for Heterodox Social Science, and heterodoxy, of course, means the opposite of orthodoxy, the opposite of groupthink. We are all joined in our displeasure with groupthink and monoculture in academia, and we are interested in viewpoint diversity and those types of things," he said. Savolainen signed "The Buckingham Manifesto for a Post-Progressive Social Science" that was published by The Chronicle of Higher Education in July. The manifesto, led by political science professor Eric Kaufmann, calls for a "post-progressive social science" to be "pursued in new universities and centers, among dissident scholars in the academic mainstream, in think tanks, or, best of all, in a future academe rededicated to open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and civil discourse." Savolainen said that Kaufmann is seeking a coalition between people from all political backgrounds that care about the truth. He added that critics of the manifesto may consider all of the signatories conservative because they do not subscribe to the "sort of left-wing social justice type of narrative." "I guess we're all 'conservative' in a sense that science is conservative, that we are conservative about truth. We have to be careful. We have be tolerant of different viewpoints. We have to be open, to be challenged about our perspectives and we have to be very rigorous about what counts as evidence, not just something that you want to believe is true, but there has to be a scientific method we need to respect," Kaufmann said. Among the signers were conservative activist Christopher Rufo and liberal scholars like Steven Pinker from Harvard. Academics from other countries, including Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Argentina, signed the manifesto as well. "What I hope to happen is that this is just an affirming [of] something," Savolainen said. "It's also signaling to politicians that not all social scientists are captured, that there is a healthy group of social science people, academics who agree with the problems of ideological bias and maybe to the extent that there's political effort to build and reform universities along these lines, here we are, we're ready to participate in that effort," Savolainen said. Savolainen described himself as a "classical liberal" and a Democrat who has never voted for a Republican. "I'm not leftist in this sort of identitarian-social justice perspective that I think is harmful in the long run when it comes to these goals, because it divides people by race and identity and those types of things. I'm not in favor of the gender ideology that pushes unscientific or biologically incorrect agendas about sex differences, for example," he said. He went on to say, "The problem that these signatories, people like me who agree with this statement, is that the social science part of academia, a lot of humanities as well, has been captured, as the term goes, by kind of illiberal – f that makes sense – illiberal, leftist, quote unquote, woke folk, so illiberal progressive people." "What we mean by that is that folks who do not respect open inquiry, these sorts of classical liberal perspectives of freedom of speech, are more comfortable censoring and suppressing points of view because they are 'harmful' or they disturb… the woke or the progressive agenda."
Fox News
7 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Conservative, liberal scholars unite against 'wokeness' in new manifesto
Conservative and liberal scholars have published a manifesto calling for an end to "wokeness" in the humanities, the College Fix reported. "This peer pressure on academic freedom has constricted and warped the production of knowledge," political science professor Eric Kaufmann said in an email, according to The Fix. "It has made us dumber about the social world, not smarter," Kaufmann said. "The Buckingham Manifesto for a Post-Progressive Social Science", first published by The Chronicle of Higher Education in July, calls for a "post-progressive social science" to be "pursued in new universities and centers, among dissident scholars in the academic mainstream, in think tanks, or, best of all, in a future academe rededicated to open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and civil discourse." "In the second two decades of the 21st century, academic and cultural institutions were suddenly seized by a radical ideology known as Critical Social Justice, Intersectionality, the Identity Synthesis, the Successor Ideology, or most commonly, Wokeness," Kaufmann said. "This takeover took many by surprise and remains unexplained. We hold that the wokeness revolution was not compelled by new discoveries or moral imperatives but is a contingent historical episode that needs to be studied, just as scholars have sought to explain the rise of nationalism, communism, neoliberalism, and populism." Kaufmann organized the manifesto at a Heterodox Social Science conference at the University of Buckingham in June. According to Kaufmann's Substack detailing the conference, scholars assembled at the conference shared concerns about "forbidden topics or viewpoints," such as "the negative economic effects of immigration, or whether differences in family structure help to explain racial inequality." He explained further that "cultural left ideology" achieved a position of "institutional hegemony." Several scholars signed on from America's prestigious institutions, like the Ivy League, as well as prominent conservative activist Christopher Rufo, and liberal scholars including Steven Pinker from Harvard. Academics from other countries, including Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Argentina, signed the manifesto as well. "In signing this manifesto, we are trying to define the new social science and theories that will guide knowledge production in the post-progressive era," Kaufmann told The College Fix. "They disagree on how to reform higher education, but agree that we need this new, positive, research agenda," he added. Kaufmann also announced a Buckingham Research Award of up to $100,000 for "post-progressive social science research" in the near future and a new book, "Post-Progressivism: Toward a New Social Science."
7NEWS
16-07-2025
- 7NEWS
US film producer Francis Kaufmann accused of murdering Anastasia Trofimova and her baby in Rome
A US film producer accused of the murders of a Russian woman and her infant daughter has faced a preliminary legal hearing in Rome after being extradited from Greece to Italy. The California native, named in an international arrest warrant and by Italian police as Francis Kaufmann, was extradited over the weekend. Italian police say the 46-year-old previously used an authentic US passport in the name of Rexal Ford and an Italian identity card in the name of Matteo Capozzi. The preliminary hearing took place in Rome's Rebibbia prison on Tuesday. According to the Rome prosecutor's office, Kaufmann exercised his right not to answer any questions and did not respond to the charges against him. He was questioned by investigating judge Flavia Costantini and Rome prosecutor Giuseppe Cascini, and was represented by lawyer Carlo Ludovico Favino, the prosecutor's office said. The bodies of Anastasia Trofimova, 29, and her 11-month-old baby were found separately in overgrown areas of Rome's Villa Pamphili park on June 7. The baby girl had been starved and strangled, but the cause of her mother's death has still not been determined, police said in early July. The victims' identities were unknown for more than a week before an Italian TV show that highlights missing persons ran photos released by police of Trofimova's extensive tattoos, which her mother in Moscow recognised after a friend sent them to her. Subsequently interviewed for the missing persons show, Trofimova's mother said her daughter had met a man she knew by the name Rexal Ford in Malta, where she was studying English. She had never met her granddaughter, but was in sporadic touch with the couple and child, she told Italian investigators and Italian media. Kaufmann, who has denied involvement in the murders, was arrested on the Greek island of Skiathos on June 13. He fought extradition through a local lawyer who no longer represents him. Italian police say his DNA was found on the black garbage bag in which Trofimova's body was found. DNA testing to determine if Kaufmann is the baby's father will be carried out now that he is in Italy. Kaufmann, who promoted himself as a film producer and screenwriter, used his Rexal Ford alias to scout movie locations, including several rooftop terraces in Rome, Cascini said in a press conference last week announcing Kaufmann's impending extradition to Rome. Italian police said in a press conference on June 11 that Kaufmann, Trofimova and the baby lived rough in various parks in Rome and ate at the city's soup kitchens, despite him having multiple credit cards and often taking potential film investors to expensive restaurants.
Business Wire
02-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Arch Insurance North America Taps Jeff Kaufmann to Establish U.S. Marine Business
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arch Insurance North America (Arch) today announced the appointment of Jeff Kaufmann as EVP, Head of Marine effective Monday, July 7. In this newly created role, Kaufmann will be responsible for establishing Arch's U.S. Marine product offerings, building a strong, specialized underwriting team and growing the related book of business. This new unit will include both Ocean Marine and Inland Marine products. Based in New York, he reports to Valerie Turpin, Chief Underwriting Officer, Property. Kaufmann is a well-recognized and highly respected leader in the Marine space. He has a reputation for delivering innovative and effective solutions for the most complicated exposures, including form development both filed and non-filed. He joins Arch from MSIG USA where he was EVP and Head of Marine. 'We are very excited to welcome Jeff to Arch,' said Matt Shulman, CEO Arch Insurance North America. 'Customers have been asking for more comprehensive Marine solutions and Jeff's reputation and strong relationships with specialty producers throughout the U.S. make him an ideal person to build out our offerings. We see significant opportunity in this area and Jeff's appointment is an important step in establishing Arch as a meaningful provider in this space.' 'Establishing a U.S. Marine practice at a company with Arch's growth trajectory and reputation for bringing innovative solutions to its customers is an attractive opportunity,' said Kaufmann. 'I'm looking forward to working with Valerie and the rest of the Arch team to create a compelling Marine offering for Arch's clients in North America.' For more information about Arch Insurance North America, and its product offerings, visit: About Arch Insurance North America Arch Insurance North America, part of Arch Capital Group Ltd., includes Arch's insurance operations in the United States and Canada. Business in the U.S. is written by Arch Insurance Company, Arch Specialty Insurance Company, Arch Property & Casualty Insurance Company and Arch Indemnity Insurance Company. Business in Canada is written by Arch Insurance Canada Ltd. About Arch Capital Group Ltd. Arch Capital Group Ltd. (Nasdaq: ACGL) is a publicly listed Bermuda exempted company with approximately $24.3 billion in capital at March 31, 2025. Arch, which is part of the S&P 500 Index, provides insurance, reinsurance and mortgage insurance on a worldwide basis through its wholly owned subsidiaries. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward−looking statements. This release or any other written or oral statements made by or on behalf of Arch Capital Group Ltd. and its subsidiaries may include forward−looking statements, which reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in or incorporated by reference in this release are forward−looking statements. Forward−looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward−looking terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe" or "continue" or their negative or variations or similar terminology. Forward−looking statements involve the Company's current assessment of risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. A non-exclusive list of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements includes the following: adverse general economic and market conditions; increased competition; pricing and policy term trends; fluctuations in the actions of rating agencies and the Company's ability to maintain and improve its ratings; investment performance; the loss of key personnel; the adequacy of the Company's loss reserves, severity and/or frequency of losses, greater than expected loss ratios and adverse development on claim and/or claim expense liabilities; greater frequency or severity of unpredictable natural and man-made catastrophic events, including the effect of contagious diseases on our business; the impact of acts of terrorism and acts of war; changes in regulations and/or tax laws in the United States or elsewhere; ability to successfully integrate, establish and maintain operating procedures as well as integrate the businesses the Company has acquired or may acquire into the existing operations; changes in accounting principles or policies; material differences between actual and expected assessments for guaranty funds and mandatory pooling arrangements; availability and cost to the Company of reinsurance to manage our gross and net exposures; the failure of others to meet their obligations to the Company; an incident, disruption in operations or other cyber event caused by cyber attacks, the use of artificial intelligence technologies or other technology on the Company's systems or those of the Company's business partners and service providers, which could negatively impact the Company's business and/or expose the Company to litigation; and other factors identified in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The foregoing review of important factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with other cautionary statements that are included herein or elsewhere. All subsequent written and oral forward−looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on the Company's behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The Company's forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release or as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward−looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
New York Post
17-06-2025
- New York Post
American arrested in Greece on suspicion of murder after woman and baby found dead, naked in Italy
An American man using a fake identity has been accused of murder after a woman and her baby were found dead in a park in Rome just days after the three were seen together. A 46-year-old man who went by the name Rexal Ford was detained by authorities on the Greek island of Skiathos Friday on an Italian warrant, with Rome prosecutor Francesco Lo Voi citing 'strong evidence' that he killed the baby girl, according to Italian outlets. The cause of the 30-year-old woman's death wasn't known, but 'there is a reasonable suspicion that it is a double murder,' deputy prosecutor Giuseppe Cascini said, CBS News reported. Advertisement Police later discovered that the man's true identity was Charles Francis Kaufmann, of California, and he had been going by Rexal Ford with a US passport since 2019, according to Italian newspaper Il Missagero. Kaufmann introduced himself as a filmmaker and claimed to be scouting locations in and around Rome, English-language Italian outlet La Voce de New York reported. 3 The bodies were found in Rome's famous Villa Pamphili Park Advertisement 3 Kaufmann was arrested in Greece on Friday. Greek Police 3 Kaufmann was reportedly using a fake identity. The naked bodies of the woman and baby — who have not been identified but are also believed to be American — were discovered on June 7 in Rome's iconic Villa Pamphili park. The mother's body was found under a black bag while the girl was found several hundred yards away in some bushes. Authorities believe the woman was killed several days before the baby. Advertisement The suspect, who had been seen with a woman and child several times speaking in English, fled Italy for Skiathos on Wednesday, Lo Voi said. The woman, whose identity also appears to have been obscured, introduced herself as 'Stella Ford' and Kaufmann introduced her as 'my wife,' according to Il Missagero. Investigators traced the three back to a homeless shelter near the Vatican, however, their relationship remains unclear, Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported. Kaufmann's fingerprints were found on the bag covering the woman and matched a scrap of tent, similar to those provided to people without shelter, the newspaper said. Advertisement Police used cell phone data to track him to the Greek island, where he was taken into custody. He is currently awaiting extradition to Italy. However, his legal team is pushing for his return to the United States.
