I am always surprised at how corrupt committees tend to be when arranged to give out awards. Merit, scholarly accomplishments, national and international impact, translations of ones work. This is all viewed as a liability. All that matters is how to strategically stack the committees. What I would say to younger and mid-range faculty who will face these seductions is do not allow you name to go forward, ignore them, and define yourself by the quality of your work and the impact you have in making the world a better place. Of course, you must keep in mind that the more you publish the more you will be resented. But knowing this builds civic character rather than cynicism. These kinds of reactionary responses testify to the depth of the struggle and what kinds of ideological and affective spaces have to be overcome. Smile when you hear these comments and remember you are in the company of ideological idiots and petty faculty who rarely achieve anything except being on endless numbers of academic committees. I have been in three universities that have punished me for my work. But none of this surprises me. The good news is that such actions only inspire me to work harder and do everything I can to take seriously that spaces open up for resistance and change and that one should do everything one can in alliance with others to make that happen. It is a hard lesson to learn but a necessary one.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 20:16:08 +0000