Academia
Are authoritative public intellectuals extinct?
In his column today, David Brooks makes an provocative closing point: People in the 1950s used to earnestly debate the role of the intellectual in modern politics. But the Lionel Trilling authority-figure has been displaced by the mass class of blog-writing culture producers. Intriguingly, Brooks’ observation echoes some of the reactions in the blogosphere to [...]
Blogs, public intellectuals and the academy
For the millions thousands close relatives who are interested in my musings on the state of public intellectuals in America, you can read a draft of “Public Intellectuals 2.0” which I’ll be presenting at a conference later this week at Boston University’s Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs. While the dominant trope about public [...]
The best commencement address you’ll never hear
Tis the season for commencement addresses. In the Los Angeles Times, P.J. O’Rourke provides advice you’re unlikely to hear elsewhere. My favorite bit: Here we are living in the world’s most prosperous country, surrounded by all the comforts, conveniences and security that money can provide. Yet no American political, intellectual or cultural leader ever says [...]
The dirty little secret of academia
Over at Crooked Timber, Ingrid Robeyns considers the merits and demerits of part-time employment in the academy. She’s doubtful that, as a model, it can work for those who wish to balance work and non-work activities (parenting, etc.): But my biggest doubt whether part-time work is such a splendid idea for academics who are doing [...]
The oldest theme in the business
I’m beginning to wonder if there’s a cognitive tic in my system that causes me to “not get” Jacob Heilbrunn’s published output. Last month I was puzzled by Heilbrunn’s assertion that Samantha Power represented a vanguard of angry Democrat foreign policy mavens. This month, Heilbrunn has an essay in World Affairs that bemoans the decline [...]
There are rules to using “Far From Over”
Via Eszter Hargittai, I see that sociologist Brian Donovan has devised an innoavative and fun way to broadcast the fact that the University of Kansas has granted him tenure: My only critique: first rule of Staying Alive: you can’t play a song from from Staying Alive without including at least a snippet from that movie. [...]
Should IR scholars expose themselves?
Blogging will be light over the next few days, as your humble blogger racks up additional frequent flyer miles attends the International Studies Association annual meeting in San Francisco. In honor of ISA, here’s the following academic-y post: Over at Duck of Minerva, Charli Carpenter is blogging about the motives behind scholarly research and how [...]
Walking the accessibility tightrope
The New York Times’ Stephanie Rosenbloom writes about the trend of professors revealing more of their souls online: It is not necessary for a student studying multivariable calculus, medieval literature or Roman archaeology to know that the professor behind the podium shoots pool, has donned a bunny costume or can
What’s the difference between a scholar and a reporter?
James Traub has a cover story in today’s New York Times Magazine, “The Celebrity Solution,” that’s all about celebrity activism in global philanthropy and peacebuilding: Stars
Faculty recruitment at Oklahoma is going to be a bitch
The New York Times‘ Randal C. Archibold writes about a proposal in the Arizona state legislature to make campus life more interesting: Horrified by recent campus shootings, a state lawmaker here has come up with a proposal in keeping with the Taurus .22-caliber pistol tucked in her purse: Get more guns on campus. The lawmaker, [...]
