My friend Sarah (about whom I've written before) sent me an interesting Chronicle article today about the invisibility of academic work (or, more specifically, of the idea formation and preparation that precede the actual writing stage of a research project):People far removed from academe can spit out the tired, if still pithy, phrase "publish or perish." But explaining the process that leads to publication to the average Joe, or to a supportive and understanding partner named Mo, isn't easy....The invisibility of this type of work likely has been the subject of countless academic blog posts, so it is hardly revolutionary to discuss it here. I did, however, particularly appreciate the author's use of metaphor to illustrate how efforts to measure academic "output" by metrics recognizable to those outside academia (i.e., articles published) can underestimate the amount of time and effort invested in a particular research project:
What does it look like to do intellectual work? What does it look like to have an insight? To formulate a theory? To solve a philosophical problem? What does it take to get to the point at which you're ready to sit down and write something, ready to present something to the world?
Personally, I think the solution to this problem is right there in the article: perhaps we should all "pose like Rodin's sculpture" in our offices to convince others that we're actually working!When I first started running competitively, each time I told my brother that I had run a race, he would ask me the same question, "Did you win?" It diminished any achievement I may have felt -- a personal best, feeling good the whole time, having a great day...[because it] meant that the months of hard work I did training for the race were made invisible by the way he had framed the question....
You don't need me to tell you that when you're working it can sometimes look to the rest of the world like you're curled up in front of the fire petting the cat. This column is for your husbands, wives, partners, parents, siblings, friends, and strangers who ask questions like "When are you going to graduate? It's been five years already." Or "Why hasn't that book come out yet? You've been working on it forever!"
4 comments:
you're on a roll with some great articles. Thanks! I just sent it to my husband, who only thinks I am working when there is a big deadline on the calendar. I should just start making stuff up to put up there :)
I agree! That way you can assure him that you are constantly working toward an important goal -- after all, whatever it is, it's On The Calendar!
I do the thinker pose all the time in my office. I also keep my desk disheveled and look serious all the time. It seems to work.
Though I know trailing spouse is trying to be humorous, there's something to be said for having a messing office, always carrying around a file, and looking stressed and busy. Carry a backpack or other book bag to/from work also helps (though you can pull a Kramer on that and just have crackers in the bag).
Post a Comment