The Dialogue: What Readers Think About a Portland State University Professor’s Hoax Journal Article

Last week, we wrote about Peter Boghossian, a professor at Portland State University who, with the help of two co-conspirators, submitted a hoax research paper to a feminist geography journal ("Academia, Doggy Style," WW, Oct. 10, 2018). With the journal submission, Boghossian and his colleagues attempted to portray feminist-theory studies as academically fraudulent. The research paper, which was accepted, claims to have tallied the rate at which Portlanders intervene in dog-on-dog sexual assault. Here's what readers have to say.

Noah Cooper, via Facebook: "The problem is for-profit publications that have lousy or no peer review, not the fields themselves."

HeihoHeiho, via wweek.com: "As an Oregonian, as a liberal, as a woman, and as a PSU student—the team of writers made a work of art. They used all the buzzwords that certain staff departments and students at PSU just LOVE to hear!"

Debi McFeron, via Twitter: "PSU has a professor who submits false research to be published and PSU still has that professor?"

Rhiannon Orizaga, via wweek.com: "The only thing more aggravating than an academic journal considering this serious work is the thought of male professors having a big laugh at the expense of feminism, consent, and serious study of rape culture."

Rainman19, via wweek.com: "I hope they all have tenure."

I can't stand this guy, via wweek.com: "Is it really appropriate for a professional to be publicly mocking people resisting sexual assault? No, it is not appropriate. Since other commenters all seem to be approving of this guy's joke and the many other people I am confident would hate it aren't bothering to comment, I'll be the one to say: This guy sucks."

J. Kru, via Twitter: "Are you kidding? This professor is a genius."

Jessie Begani, via Facebook: "The excerpts are so ridiculous that I'm baffled as to how any publication could consider the study to be real. Excellent job making your point, writers."

Thedeadtext, via wweek.com: "It wasn't even particularly creative."

Roundupthe usual suspects, via wweek.com: "Brilliant send-up of the almost total fraud which American academia has become. Sadly, PSU will so predictably fire him."