Comments on: Academics, the Military and, yes, People Dying http://visiblefuture.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/academics-the-military-and-yes-people-dying/ Looking ahead Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:00:16 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Kelly Ramsey http://visiblefuture.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/academics-the-military-and-yes-people-dying/#comment-11 Kelly Ramsey Tue, 11 Dec 2007 04:20:21 +0000 http://visiblefuture.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/academics-the-military-and-yes-people-dying/#comment-11 I really, really want to make some kind of facile historical comparison to the post-WWII physical science funding boom, or to the post-1980 bioscience to biotech transformation, but I won't. It'll be fascinating, though, to see what this does or does not do to anthropology if the money lasts longer than the current presidential administration or two. It would take a whole lot less cash for the Pentagon or DHS to throw 800-lb gorilla subsidies toward social science R&D than it would to tilt the research priorities in a hard science field: our projects come comparatively cheap. I really, really want to make some kind of facile historical comparison to the post-WWII physical science funding boom, or to the post-1980 bioscience to biotech transformation, but I won’t. It’ll be fascinating, though, to see what this does or does not do to anthropology if the money lasts longer than the current presidential administration or two. It would take a whole lot less cash for the Pentagon or DHS to throw 800-lb gorilla subsidies toward social science R&D than it would to tilt the research priorities in a hard science field: our projects come comparatively cheap.

]]> By: jlena http://visiblefuture.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/academics-the-military-and-yes-people-dying/#comment-10 jlena Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:11:54 +0000 http://visiblefuture.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/academics-the-military-and-yes-people-dying/#comment-10 On the former--current and past HT members will be able to log into a collective database from which they are allowed to publish, but the "general public" (including members of professional associations) will not have access...until, presumably, a Freedom of Information claim can be lodged. On the second issue, I imagine my friend would claim that she's thinking about local change--in the (ugh...) minds and hearts of the soldiers she works with most intimately. She doesn't suffer from the hubris of thinking she can change the whole Army's approach, or the Armed Services approach, or the Government's approach, despite what I wrote, above. One other thing I neglected to mention in my first comment--the major concern for her is not what value her participation has, or how ethical it is, or what professional consequences it will have (the issues that seem to preoccupy commentators)...she's already certain of how she feels on these issues. Her major concern is "how dangerous it will be." This seems...stupid to me. Not stupid to worry about your safety, but stupid to think about the danger in Iraq as organized around any kind of meaningful spectrum that varies from a tolerable amount of violence to an intolerable amount. It seems to me that my friend will decide to go DESPITE the violence, or she will not go because of the violence, in addition to the rest of it: being away from friends and family, the privations of living in a trailer, the disruption and marginal utility to her career, etc. On the former–current and past HT members will be able to log into a collective database from which they are allowed to publish, but the “general public” (including members of professional associations) will not have access…until, presumably, a Freedom of Information claim can be lodged.
On the second issue, I imagine my friend would claim that she’s thinking about local change–in the (ugh…) minds and hearts of the soldiers she works with most intimately. She doesn’t suffer from the hubris of thinking she can change the whole Army’s approach, or the Armed Services approach, or the Government’s approach, despite what I wrote, above.

One other thing I neglected to mention in my first comment–the major concern for her is not what value her participation has, or how ethical it is, or what professional consequences it will have (the issues that seem to preoccupy commentators)…she’s already certain of how she feels on these issues. Her major concern is “how dangerous it will be.” This seems…stupid to me. Not stupid to worry about your safety, but stupid to think about the danger in Iraq as organized around any kind of meaningful spectrum that varies from a tolerable amount of violence to an intolerable amount. It seems to me that my friend will decide to go DESPITE the violence, or she will not go because of the violence, in addition to the rest of it: being away from friends and family, the privations of living in a trailer, the disruption and marginal utility to her career, etc.

]]> By: antisocialite http://visiblefuture.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/academics-the-military-and-yes-people-dying/#comment-9 antisocialite Mon, 10 Dec 2007 07:34:47 +0000 http://visiblefuture.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/academics-the-military-and-yes-people-dying/#comment-9 Thanks for the comment, good points. When you say that they would share all non-classified data with members does this mean only members who are part of HT teams? Or with the wider professional associations? As far as cultural intermediaries I tend to agree with you. This isn't a culture in the same sense as national cultures, it's more a total institution. And total institutions have far more experience converting potential participants than in being changed. Thanks for the comment, good points.
When you say that they would share all non-classified data with members does this mean only members who are part of HT teams? Or with the wider professional associations?
As far as cultural intermediaries I tend to agree with you. This isn’t a culture in the same sense as national cultures, it’s more a total institution. And total institutions have far more experience converting potential participants than in being changed.

]]> By: jlena http://visiblefuture.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/academics-the-military-and-yes-people-dying/#comment-8 jlena Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:01:37 +0000 http://visiblefuture.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/academics-the-military-and-yes-people-dying/#comment-8 I have a very good friend who is less than a month away from entering the HT training program in Kansas and I thought I would share some of her rationale (although she will remain anonymous)--just bits that aren't in your post already. I should note: I have been actively discouraging her from going. a. All non-classified data collected by current and past HT teams will be made available to members. If true, this is unique and desirable data for both critics and supporters of the current administration/war. b. Many of the HT members see themselves as cultural intermediaries-- as having the skills, as area specialists, to help our military morph into a more responsible, ethical occupying force. c. Many of them see themselves as being able to gain unique, first-hand insight and experience in the subject of their research and teaching. Now, none of these arguments have convinced me (I'll believe in the quality of the data when I see it, and that the army listens to cultural sensitivity training when they do, and who wants a more ethical occupying force when it is better to just leave, and who wants the "authenticity" of dying?)....but I don't see any harm in raising these arguments for consideration. I have a very good friend who is less than a month away from entering the HT training program in Kansas and I thought I would share some of her rationale (although she will remain anonymous)–just bits that aren’t in your post already.

I should note: I have been actively discouraging her from going.

a. All non-classified data collected by current and past HT teams will be made available to members. If true, this is unique and desirable data for both critics and supporters of the current administration/war.
b. Many of the HT members see themselves as cultural intermediaries– as having the skills, as area specialists, to help our military morph into a more responsible, ethical occupying force.
c. Many of them see themselves as being able to gain unique, first-hand insight and experience in the subject of their research and teaching.

Now, none of these arguments have convinced me (I’ll believe in the quality of the data when I see it, and that the army listens to cultural sensitivity training when they do, and who wants a more ethical occupying force when it is better to just leave, and who wants the “authenticity” of dying?)….but I don’t see any harm in raising these arguments for consideration.

]]>