Defending letters: a pragmatic response to assaults on the humanities

This paper is a mainly pragmatic response to utilitarian criticisms of the humanities. It first outlines political, public and practical fronts on which the humanities are under assault, identifying critics and their conspirators. Then, as a part of its defence of the humanities it expounds some of their central strengths. These range from the philosophical to the practical: lending critical perspectives to knowledge production, enriching lives, developing skills for uncertain and increasingly connected futures, improving science and supporting institutional income and credibility. Finally, the paper suggests that humanists must not only continue valuable conceptual and empirical disciplinary work but must add the very defence of the humanities to professional activity.     

Mentoring Undergraduate Scholars: A Pathway to Interdisciplinary Research?

Interdisciplinary research is a valuable approach to addressing complex real-world problems. However, undergraduate research mentoring is discussed as an activity that happens in disciplinary silos where the mentor and student scholar share a disciplinary background. By transcending traditional academic divisions, we argue that mentors can train a new generation of scholars who think innovatively and create integrative research questions. We examined a sample of undergraduate students and their faculty mentors to determine the extent to which interdisciplinary research teams exist at George Mason University. Results indicated that interdisciplinary research teams are rare and faculty rank was their main predictor. University administrations can make specific choices regarding recognition and support for interdisciplinary undergraduate research mentoring that also advance institutional mission and values.     

‘We May Give Advice,but We Can Never Prompt Behavior’: Lessons from Britain

Four myths that underlie persistent, but ineffective, practices in early literacy education are analyzed in this article. Such analysis is essential because literacy disadvantage ultimately is an issue of equity—a matter of social justice. Research shows that these practices can be refuted and that optimal early literacy outcomes are possible for all students when parents, teachers, and school administrators serve as agents of equity.     

大学毕业生放弃在城市的事业

找工作、应聘、面试,都是迈向社会的起点,而今年,全球经济危机使得全球众多企业和机构裁员, 2009年的大学毕业生在求职道路上更是雪上加霜,于是很多人把目光放到了薪水更低的工作上。