I don’t know who lives in Southeast Evanston but they sound very disturbed:
The Southeast Evanston Association, in an email message to its members, says neighbors need to assure that the establishment will carry “a hotel brand that will maintain a high quality of business, and not devolve into cheap housing for transient academics.”
I really wonder what that neighborhood is like if its residents are so terrified of “transient academics.” I mean, what are these scary creatures likely to do, grab innocent residents an quote Agamben at them? Yes, what a horrible menace.
Soon we will see messages posted on the gates of gated communities, “No thinking beings allowed lest they disturb our contented cud-chewing.”
Clarissa's Blog 
I’m enjoying thinking about a hotel designed for non-transients. We could call it…apartments?
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I honestly cannot for the life of me figure out why they decided to go after that “demographic” in their weird NIMBY email.
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Without actually looking at the link, I’m guessing that ‘transient’ is dog whistle for ‘international’ (esp non-european non-NAmerican).
They don’t want people who leave their footwear outside the door, cook funny smelling things and play weird wailing or chirping music are too loud and boisterous or too quiet and reserved, wear funny clothes etc.
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I thought the emphasis was more on academics than on transient but your explanation makes a lot of sense.
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Do they mean profs or students? The second makes more sense, but I thought only profs were academics, and also that they had extremely high social status. This expression sounds insulting.
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I think it’s intended to be a dog whistle for ‘students’. Particularly poor non-white ones, which is a general right wing association with transient – neo-cons here use it in place of migrant or refugee when they are trying to be less obviously racist.
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I think they mean students. Northwestern is one of the most expensive universities in the country (as I know because my daughter goes there).
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Somewhat off topic, is Evanston still alcohol-free? I recall reading several decades ago that no alcohol could legally be sold in Evanston Illinois.
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Don’t worry, Southeast Evanston Association …
Transient academics do have standards.
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