Comments on: Professionalization and the self-replication of university professors http://inpropriapersona.com/2010/01/professionalization-and-the-self-replication-of-university-professors/ Law + tech + history, from a JD/PhD graduate student in the history of science. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:32:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Kristopher Nelson http://inpropriapersona.com/2010/01/professionalization-and-the-self-replication-of-university-professors/#comment-84 Kristopher Nelson Mon, 25 Jan 2010 06:36:15 +0000 http://www.inpropriapersona.com/?p=1351#comment-84 Good points, Peter. In law school, perhaps in contrast to other professional schools, there was a strong resistance to "too much" theory, and a bias for instructors who had practiced professionally for at least some amount of time. Strangely, though, this did not translate into a focus on practical and professional training -- teaching still stayed in the "theoretical" realm (i.e., mostly discussions of appellate court decisions, which is not where most lawyers are going to be spending their practical time) and very little on client issues, for example, or preparing motions, or drafting contracts, or similar pursuits. In the humanities, in contrast, there is no pretense of connection to "practical" concerns. Or, rather, practical concerns are theoretical concerns, since being good at academic issues is what gets you hired! I'd love to see more connection between humanities education and business or other professional pursuits, but there isn't so much of that as yet, as far as I can tell. Good points, Peter.

In law school, perhaps in contrast to other professional schools, there was a strong resistance to “too much” theory, and a bias for instructors who had practiced professionally for at least some amount of time. Strangely, though, this did not translate into a focus on practical and professional training — teaching still stayed in the “theoretical” realm (i.e., mostly discussions of appellate court decisions, which is not where most lawyers are going to be spending their practical time) and very little on client issues, for example, or preparing motions, or drafting contracts, or similar pursuits.

In the humanities, in contrast, there is no pretense of connection to “practical” concerns. Or, rather, practical concerns are theoretical concerns, since being good at academic issues is what gets you hired! I’d love to see more connection between humanities education and business or other professional pursuits, but there isn’t so much of that as yet, as far as I can tell.

]]> By: Peter http://inpropriapersona.com/2010/01/professionalization-and-the-self-replication-of-university-professors/#comment-83 Peter Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:31:37 +0000 http://www.inpropriapersona.com/?p=1351#comment-83 One aspect of the problem is endemic to professional schools (including law, journalism, nursing, engineering, etc.) -- the academics look down upon and substantially exclude from their number those who have had long-term professional careers. Thus, professional school education has a very difficult time merging "theory" with practice in any genuinely effective way and often expresses outright contempt for "mere practice." It's a very odd thing with respect to "theory," which in the professions at least seems to have very little legitimacy except to the extent it has bearing on practice. Moreover, Menand is right in the context of professional schools: in at best condescending to successful practitioners who make their way into the academic world, these professors elevate and promote those who resemble themselves. My recent post <a href="http://blogs.geniocity.com/friedman/2010/01/bob-dylan-hurricane/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Bob Dylan: Hurricane</a> One aspect of the problem is endemic to professional schools (including law, journalism, nursing, engineering, etc.) — the academics look down upon and substantially exclude from their number those who have had long-term professional careers. Thus, professional school education has a very difficult time merging “theory” with practice in any genuinely effective way and often expresses outright contempt for “mere practice.” It’s a very odd thing with respect to “theory,” which in the professions at least seems to have very little legitimacy except to the extent it has bearing on practice. Moreover, Menand is right in the context of professional schools: in at best condescending to successful practitioners who make their way into the academic world, these professors elevate and promote those who resemble themselves.
My recent post Bob Dylan: Hurricane

]]> By: Kristopher Nelson http://inpropriapersona.com/2010/01/professionalization-and-the-self-replication-of-university-professors/#comment-82 Kristopher Nelson Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:01:32 +0000 http://www.inpropriapersona.com/?p=1351#comment-82 All Things Considered on NPR just ran a story on Louis Menand and his book. Hear it at: <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122702647" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?stor...</a> All Things Considered on NPR just ran a story on Louis Menand and his book. Hear it at:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?stor…

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