ON BRINGING MAAT TO HOWARD UNIVERSITY

“The essence of Maat in the human sphere was not perfect social and economic equality but rather the harmonious coexistence of society’s different levels. Maat did not mean that the rich and powerful should become equal to the poor and weak, or vice-versa: in fact, texts that describe a society without Maat typically say things like ‘The beggars of the land have become rich men and the owners of things, those who have nothing.’ Instead, Maat meant that the rich and powerful should use their advantages not to exploit those less fortunate but rather to help them.” (Allen, p.116)

A situation exists at this moment on the ground within the Department of World Languages and Cultures of Howard University in which junior and inexperienced faculty appear to have been given authority over very senior and very experienced colleagues. The tail appears to be wagging the dog.