On some days the “black dog” comes barking. Rough days when your ego deflates, and the future looks grim, as when your former supervisor comes to town and wrecks your expectations of a future in this academic business. You feel low, light headed, in a reverie, and unable to move forward, and yet… you put some running shoes, and slide into a lazy sprint. Half an hour later, and you are still going, tireless. And you feel good, so you go a little bit faster. And you go, you keep on going.
Archive for February, 2011
Juiz em causa propria, Janeiro 2011
On February - 11 - 2011
Juiz em causa propria, in Jornal de Negocios, 18 de Janeiro 2011, Opiniao, p. 38. [download]
Academic Freedom in 1960s and 1970s American Social Sciences
On February - 11 - 2011
The Enemy Within: Academic Freedom in 1960s and 1970s American Social Sciences in History of Political Economy, 2010, 42(Supplement): 77-104.
Argument
(early abstract, but that does describe the subject)
Inspired by the sixties’ New Left, the civil rights and women’s liberation movements, social scientists labeling themselves “radicals” challenged the cultural norms of American society and of professional conduct. Left-wing in ideology and practice, the radicals staged protests in the campuses and experimented with new curricula and pedagogy. In the early to mid 1970s many radicals saw their contracts terminated or were otherwise denied tenure. Their response was to file complaints of political discrimination at the professional associations. The essay examines reports and correspondence from the American Association of University Professors, American Economic Association, American Political Science Association and American Sociological Association to compare each profession’s response to these allegations. This exam highlights differences between the disciplines’ definition of politics and its putative role in the classroom.
We are family
On February - 8 - 2011
In my other regular outlet I wrote a piece on N-grams and history of economics. But the best picture I got from my queries was non-professional.
Asking about the frequency of words “father” “mother” “sister” “brother” “friend”, I got a really nice storyline. Early 19th century it was all about the boys: father and brother, which are nearly twice as frequent as mother and sister; the gospels looming big I am sure. By 1900s the males go on a slow decline. Sister is also in decline, but mothers are up and coming from the early 19th century and overcome father by mid 1960s.
Not my fault that I am a Momma’s Boy, it is just zeitgeist!
