Despite the health risks posed by attending, Drezner wrote, "my benefits far exceed my risks."
Five thousand of Drezner's colleagues disagree.
Live event organizers in every field ought to take notice: poli-sci professors represent the canary in the coal mine.
When two of three customers drop you overnight, it's time to question your value proposition. It's time to stop acting like an ostrich.
Poli-sci professors, after all, aren't fools: they're experts in risk-benefit analysis. And two of three have rendered their judgement: the conference simply isn't compelling enough to ignore the dangers.
Birds of a feather flock together.