Some Light Reading

Here is a selection of readings about the state of the academic jobmarket, and on higher education in general. Some pieces here are from magazines, journals, and newspapers; others are from personal web pages. Most of them deal in some way with the big picture of educational downsizing and its consequences.

There is a fundamental difference of opinion over the so-called "Ph.D. glut"-- some will claim that Ph.D.s are, and have been, simply "overproduced." The contrary claim is that this "overproduction" would disappear, if the tenure-track positions that have disappeared in favor of part-time, non-tenure track labor were restored. Still others attempt to examine root causes of this "overproduction." Of course, if you're at all serious about this business, you should probably check out the Chronicle of Higher Ed fairly regularly (But don't miss the critique of its reporting on my Academic Labor page).

•   MUST SEE!! Check out "Re-envisioning the PH.D."   This is the site for a conference sponsored by the Pew Charitable trusts, with a wealth of research and ideas you must see, think, and talk about. Someone is thinking about this.
• Academia (American Association of University Professors): "It's A Buyer's Market: Disposible Professors, Grade Inflation, and other Problems"
• Is there a Ph.D. glut? Is that the right question?   From the Council of Graduate Schools.
• Forum:"The Market-Model University"
• Palinurus: The Academy and the Corporation
• Palinurus: Economics of Education
• Utne Reader : The Corporate Takeover of Academia
• "Three Differences between an Academic and and Intellectual"
• The Irascible Professor
• Biting the Hand That (Barely) Feeds Me
• Why do I stay in academia
• Don't Believe the Hype (Corporatization of UPENN)
• Issues - Shrinking PhD (Yale Bulldog)
• Confessions of a Junior Prof
• Berkeleyan - 04.07.99 - Whither the Humanities PhD
• "Too many Doctorates in the House" - Town Online Working Resources
• "Jobless with a Ph.D." - Dan S. Greenberg Editorial
• "Historians Have the Job Market All Wrong"
• "An Academic Exorcism"
• Salon Ivory Tower
• Lingua Franca. Hirings and Tenurings 1999-2000   Find out who got the jobs you applied for.
• University Business Magazine   Like Lingua Franca? This is its "sister publication."

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