Comments on: Events galore this week http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:44:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: HH http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239921 HH Wed, 14 May 2008 00:52:23 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239921 <b>People have been saying distance learning renders the university obsolete for decades. But if that were true, it would have been the case as soon as printing was invented. The error is assuming the textbooks/content are the one, only, and sole factor which matters.</b> When gasoline and jet fuel prices double, triple, and quadruple, there will be an astonishing rediscovery of "distance learning," I assure you, and at that point the logic of global faculties will become very persuasive. Your point on the buck-chasing being an inappropriate driver for emergent social networking is well taken, but the hucksters tend to dominate press coverage of what are "hot" trends. The Internet phenomenon invalidates so many aspects of traditional economics that a wholesale reappraisal of applicable social philosophy is required. Academia is cautiously tip-toeing toward that endeavor (provided conferences are held in suitably attractive places). People have been saying distance learning renders the university obsolete for decades. But if that were true, it would have been the case as soon as printing was invented. The error is assuming the textbooks/content are the one, only, and sole factor which matters.

When gasoline and jet fuel prices double, triple, and quadruple, there will be an astonishing rediscovery of “distance learning,” I assure you, and at that point the logic of global faculties will become very persuasive.

Your point on the buck-chasing being an inappropriate driver for emergent social networking is well taken, but the hucksters tend to dominate press coverage of what are “hot” trends. The Internet phenomenon invalidates so many aspects of traditional economics that a wholesale reappraisal of applicable social philosophy is required. Academia is cautiously tip-toeing toward that endeavor (provided conferences are held in suitably attractive places).

]]> By: Seth Finkelstein http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239904 Seth Finkelstein Tue, 13 May 2008 22:00:03 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239904 HH: People have been saying distance learning renders the university obsolete for decades. But if that were true, it would have been the case as soon as printing was invented. The error is assuming the textbooks/content are the one, only, and sole factor which matters. However, everything from credentialing to social networks to personal contact are important. There's a reason for what's called the "Gentleman's C" (meaning, you don't go to college to do academics, you go to college for political connections and bonding in your social group). Far better criticisms can be made of Berkman for e.g. their giving digital-sharecropping businesses the academic respectability of being some sort of public service. As I put it: <strong>Popularity data-mining businesses are not a model for civil society</strong>. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/oct/25/comment.intellectualproperty" rel="nofollow">http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/oct/25/comment.intellectualproperty</a> HH: People have been saying distance learning renders the university obsolete for decades. But if that were true, it would have been the case as soon as printing was invented. The error is assuming the textbooks/content are the one, only, and sole factor which matters. However, everything from credentialing to social networks to personal contact are important. There’s a reason for what’s called the “Gentleman’s C” (meaning, you don’t go to college to do academics, you go to college for political connections and bonding in your social group).

Far better criticisms can be made of Berkman for e.g. their giving digital-sharecropping businesses the academic respectability of being some sort of public service. As I put it:

Popularity data-mining businesses are not a model for civil society.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/oct/25/comment.intellectualproperty

]]> By: HH http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239853 HH Tue, 13 May 2008 17:12:16 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239853 eszter There is a fundamental problem of self-examination in the university community regarding the Internet. The Internet, even modestly exrapolated, renders geographically organized higher learning obsolete. What is the response of the existing universities to this unavoidable future? They pretend it doesn't exist. Libraries will increasingly be virtual. Scholarly teams will increasingly be global. So how do geographically organized Universities reorganize themselves to participate in global faculties organized by discipline? It is a classic uncomfortable paradigm transformation, and that is why researchers are staying away from the issue in droves. eszter

There is a fundamental problem of self-examination in the university community regarding the Internet. The Internet, even modestly exrapolated, renders geographically organized higher learning obsolete. What is the response of the existing universities to this unavoidable future? They pretend it doesn’t exist.

Libraries will increasingly be virtual. Scholarly teams will increasingly be global. So how do geographically organized Universities reorganize themselves to participate in global faculties organized by discipline? It is a classic uncomfortable paradigm transformation, and that is why researchers are staying away from the issue in droves.

]]> By: Eszter http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239802 Eszter Tue, 13 May 2008 13:14:57 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239802 HH - Berkman IS a powerhouse when it comes to Internet-related research. Many people don't even realize it is attached to a law school precisely because the work that they do is so diverse. Seth - I'm sorry, I guess posting five days in advance is still not enough. I wasn't following registration info closely. You're right that I should've posted about this earlier. I'm working on getting better at this.:) HH - Berkman IS a powerhouse when it comes to Internet-related research. Many people don’t even realize it is attached to a law school precisely because the work that they do is so diverse.

Seth – I’m sorry, I guess posting five days in advance is still not enough. I wasn’t following registration info closely. You’re right that I should’ve posted about this earlier. I’m working on getting better at this.:)

]]> By: Donald Johnson http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239768 Donald Johnson Tue, 13 May 2008 04:05:56 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239768 "People have rightly suggested that I post about events before they happen, " Most people find it is very hard to predict, especially the future. “People have rightly suggested that I post about events before they happen, ”

Most people find it is very hard to predict, especially the future.

]]> By: HH http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239765 HH Tue, 13 May 2008 03:24:27 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239765 Berkman could have become the nucleus of a very powerful Internet Studies community, but the founding error was shackling it to a law school. It is fundamentally absurd to study an overarching global transformation from a parochial perspective. Even a moment's thought leads one to conclude that Internet-mediated university organization must evolve into global faculties organized by discipline rather than geography. But the tin lizzies of geographically structured universities clatter along, with highly credentialled people studying serious change that leaves academia untouched. Berkman could have become the nucleus of a very powerful Internet Studies community, but the founding error was shackling it to a law school. It is fundamentally absurd to study an overarching global transformation from a parochial perspective.

Even a moment’s thought leads one to conclude that Internet-mediated university organization must evolve into global faculties organized by discipline rather than geography. But the tin lizzies of geographically structured universities clatter along, with highly credentialled people studying serious change that leaves academia untouched.

]]> By: vivian http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239759 vivian Tue, 13 May 2008 01:10:48 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239759 I vote for "when in doubt, link" and especially "when in snark, link" It wouldn't occur to your readers that you were underestimating them, just those other readers. I vote for “when in doubt, link” and especially “when in snark, link” It wouldn’t occur to your readers that you were underestimating them, just those other readers.

]]> By: Seth Finkelstein http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239746 Seth Finkelstein Mon, 12 May 2008 22:50:44 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239746 No problem, but it's not a matter of being free, just it's my understanding that there's no more ability to attend (in person). cyber.law.harvard.edu/node/4295 "Registration for our Gala and Award Ceremony closes Friday (5/9) at noon" cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/berkmanat10/gala "Registration for the Gala is now closed" No problem, but it’s not a matter of being free, just it’s my understanding that there’s no more ability to attend (in person).

cyber.law.harvard.edu/node/4295

“Registration for our Gala and Award Ceremony closes Friday (5/9) at noon”

cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/berkmanat10/gala
“Registration for the Gala is now closed”

]]> By: eszter http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239745 eszter Mon, 12 May 2008 22:42:04 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239745 Seth, I thought tickets to the Gala were still available. I'm sorry if I was wrong. I didn't say above that the Berkman events were free. Moreover, a lot of information about it is online - there will be online components - so it may still be of interest to folks even if they can't attend per se. Seth, I thought tickets to the Gala were still available. I’m sorry if I was wrong. I didn’t say above that the Berkman events were free. Moreover, a lot of information about it is online – there will be online components – so it may still be of interest to folks even if they can’t attend per se.

]]> By: Seth Finkelstein http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239724 Seth Finkelstein Mon, 12 May 2008 20:11:20 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239724 Isn't most of the Berkman event only for registered fee-paying attendees, and registration is now closed? Isn’t most of the Berkman event only for registered fee-paying attendees, and registration is now closed?

]]> By: Jacob Christensen http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239687 Jacob Christensen Mon, 12 May 2008 16:48:54 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239687 Re ConQuery: Great tip - didin't know that extension. Thanks! Re ConQuery: Great tip – didin’t know that extension. Thanks!

]]> By: Eszter http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239670 Eszter Mon, 12 May 2008 13:39:58 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239670 If you're using Firefox and have the Conquery extension installed then it's just a highlight/right-click away for a search. I think the value is more in pointing people to a specific link that you might find particularly helpful as background instead of leaving it to them to figure out what's most relevant. Of course, people may prefer to figure it out for themselves, but that remains an option, I guess. If you’re using Firefox and have the Conquery extension installed then it’s just a highlight/right-click away for a search. I think the value is more in pointing people to a specific link that you might find particularly helpful as background instead of leaving it to them to figure out what’s most relevant. Of course, people may prefer to figure it out for themselves, but that remains an option, I guess.

]]> By: Jacob Christensen http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/events-galore-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-239668 Jacob Christensen Mon, 12 May 2008 13:28:28 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=6907#comment-239668 <em>At which point can people be assumed to be sufficiently well-known that they do not require a link upon mention? I’d think this may be such an instance, but I decided to include pointers to more info just in case.</em> To be honest, I wondered about Siva Vaidhyanathan popping up in the "People you might know"-box on my facebook-page at some point (I suspect a link through Chris Bertram or Scott McLemee) On a more serious note, I'd say that you can never put too many links in a presentation (well, okay: You probably can...) - it'll save occasional readers a couple of googlings. At which point can people be assumed to be sufficiently well-known that they do not require a link upon mention? I’d think this may be such an instance, but I decided to include pointers to more info just in case.

To be honest, I wondered about Siva Vaidhyanathan popping up in the “People you might know”-box on my facebook-page at some point (I suspect a link through Chris Bertram or Scott McLemee)

On a more serious note, I’d say that you can never put too many links in a presentation (well, okay: You probably can…) – it’ll save occasional readers a couple of googlings.

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