> Whatever its possessors may say to the contrary, the North American > doctor of philosophy degree is not so much about scholarly attainment as > it is about power: sheer, naked, inexorable economic and social power. > Originally intended as the certificate attesting specialized preparation > for research in the major scholarly disciplines, it has proliferated in > an unchecked fashion throughout our intellectual world, becoming the > mandatory qualification for teaching in higher education, employment in > research, and advisory work in business and government. Without the > Ph.D. degree, one cannot now hope to be permanently retained as an > instructor at most of the thousands of institutions of higher learning > on this continent, even in the teaching of junior undergraduates. > Without the Ph.D. degree, one cannot now hope to become involved with > formal research in most fields at any level higher than that of > technician or research assistant.
having a Ph.D. is like passing a test that allows you to get a union card in the building trades. It can get you in, but there are no guarantees (as Tom points out). In any event, it may not show "scholarly attainment," but it does show one's intestinal fortitude, enough to withstand the academic equivalent of hazing. (BTW, the phrase "scholarly attainment" seems out of place in economics. Since when are economists "scholarly"? Perhaps "professional" is a better word?) Just as with the building trades, the unionized workforce is being replaced. Tenure-track professors are playing a smaller and smaller role as colleges and universities don't want to pay for them. This is an important reason for the rise of part-time and temporary instructors. Many if not almost all of them have a Ph.D. or are about to receive one. The Ph.D. seems to more and more insufficient to allowing entry into the "union." -- Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
