Monthly Archives: March 2015

“The Child Repents and Is Forgiven”

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Timothy Burke

I occasionally out myself here at this blog, on Facebook or at Swarthmore as having a fairly encyclopedic knowledge about mainstream superhero comics, like a few other academics, but I’ve been much less inclined to make even a limited foray … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Politics | 1 Comment

Raise the Barn/Autopsy the Corpse

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Timothy Burke

A more detailed thinking-through of the case of Sweet Briar, and a proposal. Five places to start a dissection of Sweet Briar College and the decision of its Board to close the school: Laura McKenna, “The Unfortunate Fate of Sweet … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Swarthmore | 7 Comments

#Save Sweet Briar

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Timothy Burke

The more I read about the decision to shut down Sweet Briar College, the less sense it makes to me. Essentially, when I look at Sweet Briar, I see the following: 1) A physical plant, a faculty and a staff … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia | 8 Comments

Where There’s Smoke

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Timothy Burke

My main problem with Laura Kipnis’ much-discussed essay “Sexual Paranoia” is the excluded middle it outlines. Practicioners of dialectic modes of argument often claim that this approach is necessary in order to locate and recommend that middle. It’s the “Untouchables” … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Politics | 5 Comments

Practice What We Preach?

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Timothy Burke

I’ve been reworking an essay on the concept of “liberal arts” this week. One of the major issues I’m trying to think about is the relatively weak match between what many liberal arts faculty frequently say about the lifelong advantages … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Defining "Liberal Arts", Swarthmore | 6 Comments

The People Perish

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Timothy Burke

The trouble with Hilary Clinton’s email is not Hilary Clinton’s email. The trouble is that the Democratic Party is apparently committed beyond recall to nominating an individual to be President whose entire strategic vision is: a) I’m owed. It’s my … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 4 Comments