Conversations with several colleagues in the past few weeks lead me to ask a few simple questions.
Should academic historians blog? If so, what should they blog about? How should they construct their blog’s interaction with a wider audience (allow all comments, moderate comments, exclude comments, etc.)? How should they define and address that audience? Would you prefer a blog where you would read what historians had to say (and say to each other) about various topics, or do you want to be a part of that conversation?
And that’s just for starters. Feel free to add your own questions as well as your answers.
For some of my previous thoughts, look here.
Opps! The link doesn’t work!
Take care,
Bob
Judy and Bob Huddleston 10643 Sperry Street Northglenn, CO 80234-3612 Huddleston.r@comcast.net
“The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.” —Mark Twain
You are asking commenters whether there should be comments?
I appreciate blogs by academics that invite their readership to join in the conversation. However, the rule I have at my own site is that the comment must further the conversation. This does not mean that comments have to agree with my opinions, but it does mean they must be on topic, relevant, respectful, etc. I check out this blog 4 or 5 times each week to see what you have to say, but also to read the intelligent comments of your readers.
While not a full-time academic, I do teach at Hofstra Law School and co-direct one of the school’s clinical programs. I blog daily at two sites and present both my research in a format that the general public can read and my views on immigration law and policy. Unlike other blogs by law professors I know, I don’t try to wall my writing off from the general public through the use of jargon. I never try to be “controversial”, but the expression of my views honestly leads to controversy. The reward for this approach is an annual readership of roughly 150,000 (v. rather tiny readerships for many of my professorial blogging colleagues) calls from major media on immigration policy questions, and an impact on legislation. Interestingly, my Immigration 101 series, based on my lecture notes for law school, is one of the most popular things I’ve written.
Blogs by academics that are more than just brain farts or in-house whining need to take its audience’s needs into account. I find that Crossroads generally fills some of my need to wrestle with contemporary issues that are thrown into high relief by the war. It also gives me an insight into how someone with a highly intelligent mind and decades of research works through an understanding of the war.
In other words, it helps me think.
I think you hit it out of the park when you said it helps you think. To me a blog is a way to articulate something you have in your mind when you have no one around to actually speak to. The act of putting down your thoughts where anyone can read them is a way to formulate what you are thinking and to get some feedback on it as well. A blog can also serve as a means by which we grow intellectually.
In addition, can you imagine what would it would have been like if the Founding Fathers had the Internet available? Just look at John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Lester J. Cappon might have spent his whole life putting their words to each other in multiple volumes instead of just one book. When we examine their letters from their era to each other we see their version of a closed blog that one day would be open to everyone. They too were trying to develop their thoughts through their letters to each other. It’s just too bad they had such a large gap during such an interesting time.
The “old guy” and student enjoys and learns from what the historians have to say. Also the debates on differing views is fascinating.
Bummer
I think academics should blog if they feel comfortable doing so, and they should blog about what they want to blog about. Seriously, with a large enough population of academic bloggers it will be possible to find something for almost every interest. I’d recommend they moderate comments, and I like being able to interact with them. Some topics I’d like to see on occasion include items on the craft of history, a little info on battles, book recommendations, and interesting things I didn’t know. The more blogs there are, the more the opportunity for seeing some of that.
Content is king. The more interesting writing the better. Can;t expect too much for free, but love as much depth as possible in the articles or at least links to in depth content.