If you’re wondering what’s happening to today’s youth, look no further than the colleges and universities their parents are sending them to under the belief that they’re doing the right thing and preparing them for success.
This shift isn’t confined to elite institutions. Public universities nationwide are increasingly moving away from traditional education models toward curricula emphasizing critical analysis of social structures.
For instance, the University of Pittsburg has introduced multiple courses on Karl Marx and Marxism for the 2026–27 academic year. The Department of Political Science offers a class titled “Marxism and Its Legacy,” which examines the original sources of Marxism as well as contributions from Lenin, Gramsci, Cedric Robinson, Martha Gimenez, and various developments in Marxist theory.
The course description states that it analyzes the historical impact of these theories, including widespread suffering, mass casualties, and significant population displacement.
Another course at Pittsburg, “Marx and Marxism,” offered by the German Department, explores how Marx’s work has influenced global events. The course notes that the 150th anniversary of the publication of Capital Volume 1 has prompted contemporary discussions about the enduring relevance of his ideas.
Pittsburg also offers a class on “racialized police violence” and racial capitalism, according to Legal Insurrection.
Moving west from the East Coast, Oregon State University now provides courses in “Difference, Power and Oppression” (DPO), which include two tracks: “Foundations” and “Advanced.” The advanced course describes how systemic power imbalances are maintained through discriminatory practices that obscure the origins of inequality.
The university’s website states that these required courses engage students in critical reflection on structures and ideologies that sustain systemic oppression. They aim to promote ethical engagement and anti-racist practices within campus communities.
This educational approach traces its roots to 1970s radical thought, as outlined by activist Saul Alinsky in his essay Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals. The current emphasis on systemic critique has become increasingly mainstream in higher education.
In 1970, Walt Kelly’s comic strip character Pogo famously declared: “Yep, son, we have met the enemy and he is us.”
