Four fields - a cynical view

Anita Cohen-Williams (IACAGC@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU)
Wed, 5 Apr 1995 11:01:27 -0700

anthropology (and why is linguistics ignored?), I am also becoming deeply
cynical about the whole academic rat race.
My husband received his Ph.D. in 1991. He has published a great deal in the
field of historical archaeology, and is currently running several excavations,
including one in the Caribbean. Yet, he cannot get an academic post. He is
constantly applying for positions, but each time is turned down. They don't
even ask for an interview! This last rejection was the worst since he has been
teaching at the institution as a faculty associate for several semesters. I'm
told that he made the short list, but the three people ahead of him were
women. I have never heard of the person that they have hired, and doubt that
she has published as much as my husband has.
I realize that there have been discussions on this topic in the past on this
list, but felt that it needed to be brought up again. Why bother teaching
anyone anthropology? There is no chance in hell that a white male will ever
get a teaching post in an American university, so you might as well tell your
students that before you fill their heads with the wonders of anthropology.

Anita Cohen-Williams; Reference Services; Hayden Library
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1006
PHONE: (602) 965-4579 FAX: (602) 965-9169
INTERNET: IACAGC@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU Owner: HISTARCH, SPANBORD