Robert William Jensen (born July 14, 1958)[1] is a former professor of journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. From 1992 to 2018 he taught graduate and undergraduate courses in media law, ethics, and politics.
Jensen writes for popular media, both alternative and mainstream.[5] His opinion and analytic pieces on such subjects as foreign policy, politics, and race have appeared in papers around the U.S. He also is involved in a number of activist groups, including the Third Coast Activist Resource Center.[6]
Controversy
9/11 opinion piece
Jensen wrote an opinion piece for the Houston Chronicle on September 14, 2001, shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks.[7] In the piece, Jensen wrote that the September 11th terrorist attacks were "reprehensible and indefensible" but "no more despicable than the massive acts of terrorism – the deliberate killing of civilians for political purposes – that the U.S. government has committed during my lifetime."[7]
Jensen's piece drew both praise and criticism. Some individuals demanded that The University of Texas fire Jensen. In response, University of Texas President Larry Faulkner wrote in a letter to the editor published in the Houston Chronicle that he was "disgusted by Jensen's article" and called Jensen "a fountain of undiluted foolishness on issues of public policy."[8]
Views on transgender identity
In early July 2014, MonkeyWrench Books collective cut all ties with Jensen over his article reviewing two feminist books that critiqued transgender identity.[9] These books were Sheila Jeffreys' Gender Hurts: A Feminist Analysis of the Politics of Transgenderism and Michael Schwalbe's Manhood Acts: Gender and the Practices of Domination. In the review published by Dissident Voice, Jensen concluded that, "On the surface, transgenderism may seem to be a more revolutionary approach, but radical feminism offers a deeper critique of the domination/subordination dynamic at the heart of patriarchy and a more promising path to liberation"[10] which they felt "contributes to a dangerous culture of transphobia".[9] In addition, Dexter M. Thomas wrote a rebuttal which was also published by Dissident Voice.[11] Jensen responded by writing a follow-up article which elaborated on his views on the ecological and social implications of what he terms "trans ideology".[12]
In 2024, Jensen published It’s Debatable: Talking Authentically about Tricky Topics at Olive Branch Press (an imprint of Interlink Publishing), a book discussing methods of conducting debates on controversial issues. Chapter 5, titled "Defining Sex/Gender: Beyond Trans Ideology", was left out of the original printing of the book; according to the official publisher's description, the chapter would discuss "the confused and confusing ideology of transgenderism".[13] It was replaced in the book by a short note, where Jensen states that the publisher refused to include Chapter 5, due to their policy of support for transgender rights. The chapter was instead made available on Jensen's website.[14]
Personal life
Jensen identifies as a radical Christian who rejects the supernatural claims of Christian orthodoxy.[15] Jensen is married to musician Eliza Gilkyson.[16]
——— (2013). We are all apocalyptic now: on the responsibilities of teaching, preaching, reporting, writing, and speaking out. San Francisco: City Lights Books. ISBN9781481958479.
——— (2013). Arguing for our lives: critical thinking in crisis times. San Francisco: City Lights. ISBN9780872865730.
——— (2015). Plain radical: living, loving and learning to leave the planet gracefully. Berkeley, California: Soft Skull Press. ISBN9781619026797.
______ (2017). The End of Patriarchy: Radical Feminism for Men. Spinifex Press ISBN9781742199924.
______ (2021). The Restless and Relentless Mind of Wes Jackson: Searching for Sustainability. University Press of KansasISBN9780700630554.
(2022) An Inconvenient Apocalypse: Environmental Collapse, Climate Crisis, and the Fate of Humanity co-authored with Wes Jackson.
——— (2004), "Blows bangs and cluster bombs: the cruelty of men and Americans", in Whisnant, Rebecca; Stark, Christine (eds.), Not for sale: feminists resisting prostitution and pornography, North Melbourne, Victoria: Spinifex Press, pp. 28–37, ISBN9781876756499
——— (2011), "Stories of a rape culture: pornography as propaganda", in Tankard Reist, Melinda; Bray, Abigail (eds.), Big Porn Inc.: exposing the harms of the global pornography industry, North Melbourne, Victoria: Spinifex Press, pp. 25–33, ISBN9781876756895.
——— (September 1993). "Pornographic novels and the ideology of male supremacy". Howard Journal of Communications. 5 (1–2): 92–107. doi:10.1080/10646179309361653.
——— (March 1994). "Banning 'Redskins' from the sports page: the ethics and politics of Native American nicknames". Journal of Mass Media Ethics. 9 (1): 16–25. doi:10.1207/s15327728jmme0901_2.
——— (January 1996). "The politics and ethics of lesbian and gay "wedding"; announcements in newspapers". Howard Journal of Communications. 7 (1): 13–28. doi:10.1080/10646179609361710.
——— (January 1997). "Privilege, power, and politics in research: A response to 'Crossing sexual orientations'". International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education. 10 (1): 25–30. doi:10.1080/095183997237377.
——— (March 2004). "September 11 and the failures of American intellectuals". Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies. 1 (1): 80–88. doi:10.1080/1479142042000180935. S2CID145476693.
Abe Osheroff (producer), Nadeem Uddin (director), Robert Jensen (participant) (2009). One foot in the grave the other still dancing (film). Media Education Foundation. 46 mins
^Jensen, Robert (23 August 2015). "Nuclear threats at home and abroad". thirdcoastactivist.org. Third Coast Activist Resource Center. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
