Modern Language Association Madness

In October 1927, the world’s leading physicists met for a six-day summit in Brussels to discuss the newly formulated quantum theory. This month, 8,000 or so leftist midwits will descend on Toronto to consider “translanguaging” and “pornographic genres.” Yes, the academic conference has fallen on hard times.

Of course, it is not entirely fair to compare the 2026 meeting of the Modern Language Association (MLA) to the fifth Solvay Conference. The latter featured 29 world-historical geniuses, 17 of whom were, or would go on to be, Nobel Prize winners. (See the famous “most intelligent photo ever taken” for details.) The former, conversely, is open to anyone willing to cough up $400 and traipse to the Great White North in January.

About the Author

Graham Hillard

Graham Hillard is a former English professor and the TV critic for the Washington Examiner magazine.

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In October 1927, the world’s leading physicists met for a six-day summit in Brussels to discuss the newly formulated quantum theory. This month, 8,000 or so leftist midwits will descend on Toronto to consider “translanguaging” and “pornographic genres.” Yes, the academic conference has fallen on hard times.

Of course, it is not entirely fair to compare the 2026 meeting of the Modern Language Association (MLA) to the fifth Solvay Conference. The latter featured 29 world-historical geniuses, 17 of whom were, or would go on to be, Nobel Prize winners. (See the famous “most intelligent photo ever taken” for details.) The former, conversely, is open to anyone willing to cough up $400 and traipse to the Great White North in January.