The point of universites for Justi and other cameralists is to make students useful as future tools–servants of the state and upright citizens. If universities had merely the goal to improve citizens’ understanding and widen human knowledge, then one would need no public funding for institutions of such little benefit to the state and common …
Continue reading “Quote of the Week + More New Book Arrivals”
Attention cultural studies geeks. I am always fascinated by the degree to which things repeat themselves in academic culture. The 70s mass culture debates restaged those of the 40s and 50s, and on and on. This morning I went looking for an electronic copy of Georg Simmel’s essay on fashion, and I stumbled upon this …
It occurs to me that one good use of this blog, and one way to maybe start some conversations, is to list books that are coming in. I purchase a lot of books, probably more than I have time to read, but my intentions are strictly honorable even if the result is, well, more Benjaminian. …
One of my students just asked (jokingly) if that would be possible. Here’s what I came up with: 4. Which of the following statements correctly complete the sentence? The habitus is a: I. special cage marketed for pet rodents. II. all-wheel drive vehicle featured in an ad with a Kiefer Sutherland voiceover. III. fashion firm. …
Continue reading “If Ph.D. Comprehensive Examinations Were Multiple Choice”
Nick just noted in the comments to the previous post that at this moment, it appears that my article–which is copy protected only from me and any colleagues to whom I might send it–is available to the whole world for free download on the internet. Go ahead, try it. You don’t even have to read …
As you may know, I have been in an email exchange with various people at Sage since receiving a copy-protected version of my own article as my “author’s copy” for my New Media and Society essay on the mp3 format. (Click here for part 1 of the story.) This week, I heard back from Sage’s …
Today’s post is about other people, sort of. First, Tim Hecker, who came to McGill to do sonic history, also has a new album out which has him featured on Pitchfork. Here’s the review. Here’s his guest list column. Second, I have been on the steering committee for a group called Media@McGill for some time …
