Give independent scholars their funding due, says Peter Geoghegan: while the academy is ‘rethinking’, they are busy doing. Credit: Miles Cole A few years ago, I attended a panel discussion on “the challenge of non-university researchers”, held at Queen’s University Belfast. The British Academy-sponsored event boasted a venerable roster of speakers addressing a worthy […]
The Troubles at Boston College
Boston College-Belfast Project case and its ramifications for academic freedom and social inquiry. From Times Higher Education. The folk tale about the academic who accidentally deleted his data is older than the PC, but have you heard the one about the researchers who asked their institution to destroy all their work? No? Well that’s exactly […]
Unlucky Jim fails to find a foothold as Lucky Jim holds firm
I argued that baby-boomers need to be coaxed down from the top of the academic tree in this opinion piece in The Times Higher Education on June 3. There’s been quite a bit of reaction and comment to the piece on the THE site. A few weeks ago I bumped into an old college friend […]
For Anyone Doing A Viva…
A gruelling inquisition or a friendly chat – PhD candidates’ experiences of vivas can vary widely. Preparation is essential, writes Peter Geoghegan, but universities could do more to help, too. Originally appeared in Times Higher Education I will never forget the day I submitted my PhD for examination. Having spent most of the previous night […]