in reply to david wood's posting...
i think you are right david to remind us all of the need for critical
engagement with issues outside the immediate reach of the academy. but you
were a little too hasty in dismissing the publishing issue that marcus
earlier raised in a thoughtful way. the creeping taylorism in most western
university systems -- involving, inter alia, rising productivity
expectations and declining job security -- is part of the explanation for
the political silence/passiveness that you rightly abhor. but, as was
pointed out, many of us have murmured our disapproval at the neo-liberal
higher education programme, but few have done or said anything publicly
about it.
i think that this one of the things that the forum should be concerned
about. the question is, how do we turn this sort of smouldering
disenchantment into real political action?
brendan gleeson
Dr. Brendan Gleeson
Research Fellow
Urban Research Program
RSSS
The Australian National University
Canberra, ACT. 0200
AUSTRALIA
tel. 61-(0)2-62494603
fax. 61-(0)2-62490312
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