Comments on: HTS in Newsweek http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/ Notes and Queries in Anthropology — A Group Blog Fri, 25 May 2012 16:53:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Scott M http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-304885 Scott M Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:47:42 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/#comment-304885 It's in the _Chronicle's_ Footnoted blog today - http://tinyurl.com/3olox8 It’s in the _Chronicle’s_ Footnoted blog today – http://tinyurl.com/3olox8

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]]> By: Strong http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-304797 Strong Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:16:04 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/#comment-304797 There is or was recently an ad at AAAnet.org for a visiting assistant professor position there... also, Griffin's blog has gone black it appears: http://marcusgriffin.com/blog/ There is or was recently an ad at AAAnet.org for a visiting assistant professor position there… also, Griffin’s blog has gone black it appears:
http://marcusgriffin.com/blog/

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]]> By: oneman http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-304776 oneman Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:58:39 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/#comment-304776 Scott -- do you have a link for Griffin leaving CNU? Is it an update to one of the stories linked above? Scott — do you have a link for Griffin leaving CNU? Is it an update to one of the stories linked above?

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]]> By: Scott M http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-304736 Scott M Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:36:19 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/#comment-304736 Interesting to see (as of 22 April) that Marcus Griffin has quit Christopher Newport University to go full-time with HTTS. No real surprise there, I think - he evidently liked the macho bits of it (witness his blog), and the salary is probably a nice incentive. Interesting to see (as of 22 April) that Marcus Griffin has quit Christopher Newport University to go full-time with HTTS. No real surprise there, I think – he evidently liked the macho bits of it (witness his blog), and the salary is probably a nice incentive.

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]]> By: Maximilian Forte http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-301523 Maximilian Forte Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:03:21 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/#comment-301523 No, Chad, it is not just you. In fact, some departments explicitly refuse to teach research methods, which is the more extreme position, but not unheard of. This anti-methods teaching is for a variety of reasons, but some of those that are known to me include: (i) your methods should suit the specificites of your research project--and no course can be specific enough; (ii) you will learn what is appropriate once you are in your particular "field"; and, (iii) ethnographic methods cannot be "taught", you learn them from practice. Now there is a substantial, contrary, set of responses to those notions. I certainly agree with (i), and I have learned that (ii) is true as well, but (iii) is very contentious, because we can at least have useful dialogues about what others have done, and why, and how, and maybe gather some ideas of what we might want to do in our own specific settings. "Have methods, will travel" is not a popular notion these days, especially not with established ethnographic and area studies literatures, and certainly Arabic is taught outside of the Middle East so it is not too much to ask for persons who can speak it prior to arrival in Iraq. If the military has brought in people without specializations in the Middle East, and without knowledge of Arabic, it must be out of sheer desperation. I don't see how they justify $300,000 salaries for people lacking in knowledge of the area. No, Chad, it is not just you. In fact, some departments explicitly refuse to teach research methods, which is the more extreme position, but not unheard of. This anti-methods teaching is for a variety of reasons, but some of those that are known to me include: (i) your methods should suit the specificites of your research project–and no course can be specific enough; (ii) you will learn what is appropriate once you are in your particular “field”; and, (iii) ethnographic methods cannot be “taught”, you learn them from practice. Now there is a substantial, contrary, set of responses to those notions. I certainly agree with (i), and I have learned that (ii) is true as well, but (iii) is very contentious, because we can at least have useful dialogues about what others have done, and why, and how, and maybe gather some ideas of what we might want to do in our own specific settings. “Have methods, will travel” is not a popular notion these days, especially not with established ethnographic and area studies literatures, and certainly Arabic is taught outside of the Middle East so it is not too much to ask for persons who can speak it prior to arrival in Iraq. If the military has brought in people without specializations in the Middle East, and without knowledge of Arabic, it must be out of sheer desperation. I don’t see how they justify $300,000 salaries for people lacking in knowledge of the area.

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]]> By: Chad Nilep http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-301491 Chad Nilep Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:06:02 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/#comment-301491 Steve Fondacaro asserts, “Research methodologies are universal,” but this has certainly not been my experience, at least as regards ethnography. My advisers and teachers have on the whole been loathe to endorse a 'universal' methodology for ethnography. Of course, I am primarily a linguist, and my experiences are largely limited to a single university, so others may disagree. Is it just me? Steve Fondacaro asserts, “Research methodologies are universal,” but this has certainly not been my experience, at least as regards ethnography. My advisers and teachers have on the whole been loathe to endorse a ‘universal’ methodology for ethnography. Of course, I am primarily a linguist, and my experiences are largely limited to a single university, so others may disagree. Is it just me?

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]]> By: Rex http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-299636 Rex Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:55:17 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2008/04/19/hts-in-newsweek/#comment-299636 Well to be fair to the AAA it is gratifying to see that the issue is being addressed -- and (apparently) by an elected member as well rather than one of the permastaff (although of course the letter could have been prepared for her signature). This additional article just points out what a terrible idea HTS is/was. Beyond the ethics issues (which, given their seriousness, are hard to get beyond) it appears to be very poor work done by unqualified people. The idea that you could take cultural anthropologists (or physical anthropologists, in at least one case) with no background in the area, plop them in a war zone, and expect good anthropology would be laughable if it weren't for the fact that my tax dollars are bankrolling these bozos, and that the human cost of the invasion of Iraq is so high. Well to be fair to the AAA it is gratifying to see that the issue is being addressed — and (apparently) by an elected member as well rather than one of the permastaff (although of course the letter could have been prepared for her signature). This additional article just points out what a terrible idea HTS is/was. Beyond the ethics issues (which, given their seriousness, are hard to get beyond) it appears to be very poor work done by unqualified people. The idea that you could take cultural anthropologists (or physical anthropologists, in at least one case) with no background in the area, plop them in a war zone, and expect good anthropology would be laughable if it weren’t for the fact that my tax dollars are bankrolling these bozos, and that the human cost of the invasion of Iraq is so high.

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