Category Archives: Academic Culture
Why I No Longer Eat Watermelon, or How a Racist Email Caused Me to Leave Graduate School
Long time no hear everybody! Today, we’re re-posting Robert Palmer’s blog on his experience on grad school. We’re experiencing a brain-drain in academia, if we continue to ignore racism, sexism, elitism and all its nastiness.
VAP’s and why they suck- a Buzzfeed-style list
Recently, a well-meaning senior colleague told me that I should be excited to apply to one-year positions. “They can lead to a tenure track, and moreover, it gives you the chance to get an overview of the different institutions out … Continue reading
Guest Post: How to improve the job search process, from the perspective of a candidate
Originally posted on Tenure, She Wrote:
Today’s post is by Dr. Belle, a fourth-year postdoc Job openings are both a blessing and a curse. They can infuse both search committees and applicants with a sense of hope for the opportunities…
The Great Brain Robbery
“In politics, If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.” ― Margaret Thatcher It’s not often that someone on my side of the political fence quotes someone from Thatcher’s side in order … Continue reading
Academic Types: The Common White Male Student- a Field Study
The common white male student (discipulus pallidus masculinus vulgaris) comes in all forms and shapes, is however characterized by certain outward appearances: He will wear cargo shorts (unless outside temperatures are minus 18 Fahrenheit, which is when sweatpants become appropriate … Continue reading
Self-Critique and Kangaroo Courts
For the second time, I recently had to submit a formal response to the comments on my student survey evaluations, which I consider a theoretically useful but, in practice, simply a humiliating instrument of shame. The entire concept of student … Continue reading
Adorno Want to Hear it Anymore
Here I am reading yet another article in which someone is trying to make Adorno’s thoughts on jazz not racist. Seriously, academia, can we get real for a second? Listen, you like to think of yourself as open-minded, and I … Continue reading
How to write a Rejection Letter: Do’s and Don’ts
Recently, my students told me that it’s a ritual among college students to post the first letter of rejection they ever receive on their dorm door. It’s a badge of honor, and it creates a certain community among the job … Continue reading
The Academic Happy Hour 