Michael J. Sandel: The left needs to learn to speak the language of patriotism'

"Then they return with force, helping us understand today's world, explaining how and when it fell apart, and what allowed someone like Donald Trump to rise to power. The American theorist, a leading voice in progressive thought, dissects causes and consequences with surgical precision in each of his books, and never shies away from bringing some of the great ideas of classical and contemporary thought to everyday citizens."

"Philosophy can also be a mass phenomenon, and his packed lectures are proof of that. His work, which includes titles such as Democracy's Discontent (1996), Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? (2011), and The Tyranny of Merit (2020), has traveled around the world, and recently landed in Mexico City. There, the Harvard professor presents it in full, invited by the Faculty of Law at Mexico's Autonomous University (UNAM) and by the Monterrey Institute of Technology."

"It's good news that the judge ruled that Trump acted illegally. These are funds that had already been allocated, mainly for biomedical research. However, the Trump administration will appeal and it may reach the U.S. Supreme Court and it's hard to predict what they will do. It's a good first step, but I think it's important for a university like Harvard to stand firm in defense of academic freedom, because Trump's attack is not only about money."

Justice, equality, and dignity regain urgency when articulated by Michael J. Sandel, who connects classical and contemporary ideas to current political crises. Sandel analyzes causes and consequences of societal breakdown and traces the factors that enabled Donald Trump's ascent. He reaches broad audiences through lectures and books such as Democracy's Discontent, Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?, and The Tyranny of Merit. Sandel emphasizes defense of academic freedom against political interference, warning that attempts to control admissions, hiring, and curricula threaten university autonomy. He praises legal rulings that restore funding but warns of potential appeals and urges universities to stand firm.

Read at english.elpais.com