Comments on: “Do it for love” and other fallacies to motivate grad students and junior faculty http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/ A survival guide for the 21st century researcher Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:37:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The Professionalism of Adjuncts: Well-Read, Well-Connected, and On-line « Unasked Advice http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/comment-page-1/#comment-72712 The Professionalism of Adjuncts: Well-Read, Well-Connected, and On-line « Unasked Advice Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:17:02 +0000 http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/#comment-72712 [...] “Do it for love” and other fallacies to motivate grad students and junior faculty (academicproductivity.com) [...] [...] “Do it for love” and other fallacies to motivate grad students and junior faculty (academicproductivity.com) [...]

]]> By: Johann http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/comment-page-1/#comment-60632 Johann Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:55:41 +0000 http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/#comment-60632 I don't know if I can share this point of view. I don't know enough about the American academic system, maybe it's different there. But in my experience (Germany/Switzerland), most PhD's know what they are getting into. I also think that Benton's articles leave out the people who get PhD's and then leave university for a job elsewhere or start something on their own. These people maybe just don't complain, because they knew what they were getting into, so they are not on his radar. It seems to me his whole argument is based on his own experience. That's ok, but it would be nice to see if numbers can back that up or not. I don’t know if I can share this point of view. I don’t know enough about the American academic system, maybe it’s different there. But in my experience (Germany/Switzerland), most PhD’s know what they are getting into.
I also think that Benton’s articles leave out the people who get PhD’s and then leave university for a job elsewhere or start something on their own. These people maybe just don’t complain, because they knew what they were getting into, so they are not on his radar. It seems to me his whole argument is based on his own experience. That’s ok, but it would be nice to see if numbers can back that up or not.

]]> By: Bli doktorand inom humaniora? | Lund Humanities Lab http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/comment-page-1/#comment-60480 Bli doktorand inom humaniora? | Lund Humanities Lab Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:53:39 +0000 http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/#comment-60480 [...] Lite hårda sanningar finns här (via Academic Productivity): [...] [...] Lite hårda sanningar finns här (via Academic Productivity): [...]

]]> By: Should I do a PhD? - Is it too late for me… | RADiance http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/comment-page-1/#comment-59913 Should I do a PhD? - Is it too late for me… | RADiance Sun, 19 Apr 2009 11:51:47 +0000 http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/#comment-59913 [...] http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-student... [...] [...] http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-student... [...]

]]> By: John Hunter http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/comment-page-1/#comment-59768 John Hunter Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:53:05 +0000 http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/#comment-59768 Interesting comment. I wonder if any schools actually practice the idea. Interesting comment. I wonder if any schools actually practice the idea.

]]> By: jeff http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/comment-page-1/#comment-59728 jeff Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:11:54 +0000 http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/#comment-59728 I started to respond here, but my comments got out of hand, so I posted it on my own blog: http://12easypieces.com/2009/04/18/why-go-again-a-further-justification-for-grad-school-in-the-humanities I previously responded to Benton's article a couple of weeks ago here: http://12easypieces.com/2009/03/19/why-go-a-justification-for-grad-school-in-the-humanities I started to respond here, but my comments got out of hand, so I posted it on my own blog: http://12easypieces.com/2009/04/18/why-go-again-a-further-justification-for-grad-school-in-the-humanities

I previously responded to Benton’s article a couple of weeks ago here: http://12easypieces.com/2009/03/19/why-go-a-justification-for-grad-school-in-the-humanities

]]> By: John http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/comment-page-1/#comment-59549 John Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:35:09 +0000 http://www.academicproductivity.com/2009/do-it-for-love-and-other-fallacies-to-motivate-grad-students-and-junior-faculty/#comment-59549 It's one thing for a university to let an engineering professor go; it's quite another to fire a medieval literature scholar. An engineering professor could probably move over to the private sector without a major disruption in income. Achieving tenure in the humanities is something like becoming a nun. You give up the pursuit of marketable skills in exchange for a promise of lifetime employment. Because scholars in the humanities are taking more of an economic risk, it seems that universities have a special obligation to the humanities faculty. It’s one thing for a university to let an engineering professor go; it’s quite another to fire a medieval literature scholar. An engineering professor could probably move over to the private sector without a major disruption in income.

Achieving tenure in the humanities is something like becoming a nun. You give up the pursuit of marketable skills in exchange for a promise of lifetime employment. Because scholars in the humanities are taking more of an economic risk, it seems that universities have a special obligation to the humanities faculty.

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