<html><div style='background-color:'><P>Kiley,</P>
<P>I think the opposite--I think it's problematic to separate between our CS practice and our activism. Why separate ourselves that way? Considering the radical heritage of CS surely we can "do" our knowledge in more politically effective ways. </P>
<P>I agree with your point about academic conjecture to a point--strategically, we might need to speak differently given the terms of public debate, citing Foucault or whoever is hardly useful generally speaking. But to make our own theoretically informed arguments is nevertheless important, and even more so <EM>because</EM> the media plays often little more than combative sound-bites. </P>
<P>I agree with Paul that there is a critical value in diversity of opinion, but in politics, numbers count. We make more of a difference together than as individuals. If we are mostly activists as well as academics, why <EM>not</EM> organise collectively? Or at the very least begin to brainstorm ideas about new ways of political action? Why not a group blog of indigenous academics writing about it? Finding ways to link the CSAA to the types of on-the-ground community activism you're attending? I dunno. </P>
<P>Em. <BR></P>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #a0c6e5 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: tahoma,sans-serif">
<HR color=#a0c6e5 SIZE=1>
From: <I>kiley gaffney <k.gaffney@uq.edu.au></I><BR>To: <I>"csaa-forum@lists.cdu.edu.au" <csaa-forum@lists.cdu.edu.au></I><BR>Subject: <I>[csaa-forum] Activity</I><BR>Date: <I>Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:17:19 +1000</I><BR><BR>
<META content="Microsoft SafeHTML" name=Generator><FONT face="New York"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14px">Em,<BR><BR>Although pointing out strategies for teaching as a cultural studies practitioner, my point was that we should primarily be more active citizens. That might involve putting the academic conjecture away. I think a lot of us, I would even say most of us, consider ourselves activists who have very strong political objectives. I think this was the point Paul was making. It’s precarious to conflate these debates around our capacity as academics/intellectuals with what we can do as citizens. I would even venture that in these excessively conservative times, the idea of public intellectualism seems like a bit of an academic fantasy. It’s hard enough even getting an opinion published in online newspapers that doesn’t revolve around name calling and perfunctory responses!
<BR><BR>I’m trying to get along to as many on the ground things as I can and that feels more like an articulated community that actually has an indigenous presence. It feels a little less privileged to me when I’m not speaking on anyone’s behalf but my own.<BR><BR>Kiley<BR><BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><FONT face=Charcoal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12px">
<HR align=center width="95%" SIZE=3>
Kiley Gaffney<BR>School of English, Media Studies and Art History<BR>University of Queensland,<BR>St Lucia. Qld. 4072<BR><BR>(617) 3365 2687 <BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT face="New York"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14px"><BR></SPAN></FONT><BR>
<P>>_______________________________________<BR>><BR>>csaa-forum<BR>>discussion list of the cultural studies association of australasia<BR>><BR>>www.csaa.asn.au<BR>><BR>>change your subscription details at http://lists.cdu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/csaa-forum<BR>
<P></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE></div><br clear=all><hr>New jobsjobsjobs.com.au. <a href="http://g.msn.com/8HMAENAU/2752??PS=47575" target="_top">Find thousands of jobs online now!</a> </html>