http://www.chindu.net/reports-on-research/why-do-research/ Chindu Sreedharan reports on life, etc Sun, 12 Dec 2010 16:55:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.chindu.net/reports-on-research/why-do-research/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Venkata Vemuri Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:44:54 +0000 http://www.chindu.net/?p=330#comment-17 Well argued, but that's true for any other vocation, or avocation, I think. But there are differences. Research in our field, J or Media or Comm, is quite different from research in genetics or physics or chemistry and the like where the results have immediate and palpable effects on the quality of life. Since when have journalists been able to write the 'truth' even though tons of research exists on the topic? Academic research, I gather, is a tool we use to fight a war of thoughts and ideas on a mental, rather physical, plane. It is a war between schools of thought with universities aligning themselves with one or the other school. It is war between academics who belong to those universities and therefore, those schools of thought. It's hegemonic. And each school of thought is a public sphere of its own. Straight-jacketed, even. The self promotions, career advancements, upward mobility, networking, etc, are functional elements unique to each sphere. Those who straddle more than one sphere are either the neither-here-nor-there types or are genuinely research-minded. What is 'research'? Each school of thought will have its own answer,perhaps. Well argued, but that’s true for any other vocation, or avocation, I think.
But there are differences. Research in our field, J or Media or Comm, is quite different from research in genetics or physics or chemistry and the like where the results have immediate and palpable effects on the quality of life. Since when have journalists been able to write the ‘truth’ even though tons of research exists on the topic?
Academic research, I gather, is a tool we use to fight a war of thoughts and ideas on a mental, rather physical, plane. It is a war between schools of thought with universities aligning themselves with one or the other school. It is war between academics who belong to those universities and therefore, those schools of thought. It’s hegemonic. And each school of thought is a public sphere of its own. Straight-jacketed, even. The self promotions, career advancements, upward mobility, networking, etc, are functional elements unique to each sphere. Those who straddle more than one sphere are either the neither-here-nor-there types or are genuinely research-minded.
What is ‘research’? Each school of thought will have its own answer,perhaps.

]]> http://www.chindu.net/reports-on-research/why-do-research/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Barry Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:13:33 +0000 http://www.chindu.net/?p=330#comment-16 Very crisp and accurate one-line summaries of motives, though I think these are not reducible as Chindu suggests. But they all need putting in the context of a major 'pull' factor as well as the 'push' one of career advancement: that is the big publishing industry which relies on large numbers of 'research-active' academics to fill its journals and book lists. Without this engine of over-production there'd be less of these activities we call 'research'. Very crisp and accurate one-line summaries of motives, though I think these are not reducible as Chindu suggests. But they all need putting in the context of a major ‘pull’ factor as well as the ‘push’ one of career advancement: that is the big publishing industry which relies on large numbers of ‘research-active’ academics to fill its journals and book lists. Without this engine of over-production there’d be less of these activities we call ‘research’.

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