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I think the issue of where we publish and the problem with the journals is precicely of relevance to those of us interested in critical histories of geographic thought and contemporary issues of how knowledge is disseminated in the academy. I think the issue of how the production of knowledge is controlled by the RAE is terribly interesting and worthy of discussion - it raises all kinds of questions about how we judge the worth of our research. Similar questions are raised by the formation of ESRC thematic priorities which effectively decide which kinds of research are valuable. I don't think these are inappropriate issues to be raised on this forum. It shouldn't be about being more critical than thou. On Thu, 30 Oct 1997 10:25:08 -0000 [log in to unmask] wrote: > From: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Thu, 30 Oct 1997 10:25:08 -0000 > Subject: Journals, this forum and the real world > To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]> > > After a a couple of months of being on this list, I'm beginning to > wonder > what the 'Critical' in Critical Geography Forum actually stands for. > While there have been several interesting issues raised, there seem to > be > few people willing to discuss them at any length, yet when there is a > posting about how terrible geography journals are, we get several long > postings full of theory about it. > While this is an issue, it is 'critical' only in the sense of > navel-gazing > and worrying about our own careers etc. > I thought this forum was going to be about vibrant, interesting and > academic discussion among lots of different people who don't normally > have > the opportunity to talk to each other, concerning real and significant > issues affecting society. The 'rights' discussion could have gone that > way, > but didn't. > I've tried to post issues up, and respond in a constructive way to other > issues, but it seems very few others are doing this. > This forum can become truly 'critical', but only if WE make it so (and > that > means a far greater number of us than at present). Maybe some need more > confidence in this electronic environment, maybe some are too busy, > maybe > some just want to receive rather than contribute, maybe some don't care. > If > there are any people in the latter two groups, I'd like to know exactly > why > they did join this list... > > This is a valuable space, let's use it! > > As for a real issue- the posting about the SE Asian forest fires was > interesting. Is anybody else wondering exactly what is going on? If > anyone > has any ideas, why not say something about it... I for one would like to > hear (and take part in) some debate. > %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%