Comments on: Reading Ward Churchill After Eichmann http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/ Notes and Queries in Anthropology — A Group Blog Fri, 25 May 2012 02:33:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Dustin (Oneman) http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/comment-page-1/#comment-628556 Dustin (Oneman) Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:08:44 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/#comment-628556 Craig: I wrote this over 2 years ago, so I have no idea what sources I might have used. But you should have no problem Googling the involvement of Deloria in recommending Churchill. It's hardly a dirty secret. Craig: I wrote this over 2 years ago, so I have no idea what sources I might have used. But you should have no problem Googling the involvement of Deloria in recommending Churchill. It’s hardly a dirty secret.

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]]> By: Craig http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/comment-page-1/#comment-628442 Craig Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:53:53 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/#comment-628442 "...University of Colorado, appointed despite his lack of a PhD on the recommendation of the well-respected Indian rights activist and lawyer Vine Deloria, Jr." Interesting comment, would you be able to provide a source for the assertion that Vine Deloria, Jr. recommended Mr. Churchill to be hired. Megwetch. “…University of Colorado, appointed despite his lack of a PhD on the recommendation of the well-respected Indian rights activist and lawyer Vine Deloria, Jr.” Interesting comment, would you be able to provide a source for the assertion that Vine Deloria, Jr. recommended Mr. Churchill to be hired. Megwetch.

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]]> By: Ward Churchill Update | Savage Minds http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/comment-page-1/#comment-595239 Ward Churchill Update | Savage Minds Sat, 18 Apr 2009 05:14:40 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/#comment-595239 [...] been rather remiss in following up on the Ward Churchill affair and the results of the trial since Dustin’s post in 2007. I’ve mostly kept quite because it seemed that Maximilian Forte had the beat covered, but [...] [...] been rather remiss in following up on the Ward Churchill affair and the results of the trial since Dustin’s post in 2007. I’ve mostly kept quite because it seemed that Maximilian Forte had the beat covered, but [...]

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]]> By: Orson Buggeigh http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/comment-page-1/#comment-113395 Orson Buggeigh Sun, 26 Aug 2007 04:12:36 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/#comment-113395 Actually, Strong, I have even read a bit of Boas years ago. But, to get back to the point at hand, critical theory works better for the study of literature than it does for any field where one can examine data and artifacts and reach independently verifiable conclusions. Reality is a problem for people like Churchill, and those who share his belief that a meta-narrative is useful tool for the study of history. People like Brown, Kavanagh, and LaVelle have followed Churchill's document trail, and found that he lied, or fabricated, or mis-used the data to support his thesis. That may be fine for writing literature, but it doesn't work in history. Actually, Strong, I have even read a bit of Boas years ago. But, to get back to the point at hand, critical theory works better for the study of literature than it does for any field where one can examine data and artifacts and reach independently verifiable conclusions. Reality is a problem for people like Churchill, and those who share his belief that a meta-narrative is useful tool for the study of history. People like Brown, Kavanagh, and LaVelle have followed Churchill’s document trail, and found that he lied, or fabricated, or mis-used the data to support his thesis. That may be fine for writing literature, but it doesn’t work in history.

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]]> By: Strong http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/comment-page-1/#comment-113121 Strong Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:45:22 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/#comment-113121 Thanks for your post Oneman. Activism may not be a substitute for scholarship, but the two are certainly not mutually exclusive. You can be an advocate °and° you can be an exemplary scholar. Has Orson heard of, say, Franz Boas? Moreover, one unfortunate effect of the Churchill case is that people will use it as an opportunity to cast doubt over whole stretches of scholarship simply because they are rooted in critical perspectives, as I suspect Orson has done here. Thanks for your post Oneman. Activism may not be a substitute for scholarship, but the two are certainly not mutually exclusive. You can be an advocate °and° you can be an exemplary scholar. Has Orson heard of, say, Franz Boas? Moreover, one unfortunate effect of the Churchill case is that people will use it as an opportunity to cast doubt over whole stretches of scholarship simply because they are rooted in critical perspectives, as I suspect Orson has done here.

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]]> By: Orson Buggeigh http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/comment-page-1/#comment-113085 Orson Buggeigh Fri, 24 Aug 2007 01:11:16 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/#comment-113085 The University of Colorado is called "CU" by locals. Calling it UC or UC Boulder (despite the official effort to push that latter form of branding) is a clear tip off to Centennial staters that you are not a native. Leah's correct. Churchill's work is pretty well shown up as worthless. Kerim's right on the money, but there are a lot more fields than anthropology which should be concerned about the volume of shoddy scholarship which has been given a pass by people who should know better. Ethnic and gender studies, arts and humanities should all be concerned about the number of factually challenged works that have been accepted because the academic community generally approved of the philosophical approach of the author. It is long past time to put an end to advocacy masquerading as scholarship. The two are different, and activism is not a substitute for careful, complete research and writing. Unfortunately, because so many people, starting with Evelyn Hu-DeHart, were pleased with Churchill's activism, they accepted his work as scholarship instead of vetting it carefully first. People who use Churchill's work as anything but an example of what not to do are contributing to making the problem worse. The University of Colorado is called “CU” by locals. Calling it UC or UC Boulder (despite the official effort to push that latter form of branding) is a clear tip off to Centennial staters that you are not a native. Leah’s correct.

Churchill’s work is pretty well shown up as worthless. Kerim’s right on the money, but there are a lot more fields than anthropology which should be concerned about the volume of shoddy scholarship which has been given a pass by people who should know better. Ethnic and gender studies, arts and humanities should all be concerned about the number of factually challenged works that have been accepted because the academic community generally approved of the philosophical approach of the author. It is long past time to put an end to advocacy masquerading as scholarship. The two are different, and activism is not a substitute for careful, complete research and writing. Unfortunately, because so many people, starting with Evelyn Hu-DeHart, were pleased with Churchill’s activism, they accepted his work as scholarship instead of vetting it carefully first. People who use Churchill’s work as anything but an example of what not to do are contributing to making the problem worse.

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]]> By: Kerim http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/comment-page-1/#comment-112976 Kerim Thu, 23 Aug 2007 01:59:05 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/#comment-112976 I personally suspect that this is one reason why more anthropologists don't support open access. While there is a lot of top-notch scholarship in anthropology, there is also a lot of very shoddy work, and I think a lot of scholars are scared about what would happen if more people saw what they were getting away with. I personally suspect that this is one reason why more anthropologists don’t support open access. While there is a lot of top-notch scholarship in anthropology, there is also a lot of very shoddy work, and I think a lot of scholars are scared about what would happen if more people saw what they were getting away with.

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]]> By: oneman http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/comment-page-1/#comment-112955 oneman Wed, 22 Aug 2007 21:32:32 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/#comment-112955 Not according to my sources :-) Seriously, though, I've gone back and corrected that wherever it appears, as far as I can tell. Sorry for the error. Tomorrow, when someone says he was at Colorado U not U Colorado, I'll change it back. Not according to my sources :-)

Seriously, though, I’ve gone back and corrected that wherever it appears, as far as I can tell. Sorry for the error. Tomorrow, when someone says he was at Colorado U not U Colorado, I’ll change it back.

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]]> By: Leah http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/comment-page-1/#comment-112942 Leah Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:27:26 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2007/08/22/reading-ward-churchill-after-eichmann/#comment-112942 Churchill was employed and fired by the University of Colorado, not Colorado University. Churchill was employed and fired by the University of Colorado, not Colorado University.

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