Special issue: Questioning the Academic Genre
(side 201-213)
av Michael A. Peters og Rushika Patel
This article investigates the pedagogies of philosophy and specifically the form of dialogue, especially in its most recent neopragmatist minimalist conversational version promoted by Richard Rorty as the basis of ...
Engelsk sammendrag
This article investigates the pedagogies
of philosophy and specifically the form of dialogue, especially
in its most recent neopragmatist minimalist conversational version
promoted by Richard Rorty as the basis of liberal learning which
we problematize by considering the advent of user-generated cultures.
We argue that «street talk» is a more progressive model for philosophy
and pedagogy than dialogue because it is not a conversation of co-seekers
after truth and does not require a condition of formal equality
among participants. By contrast, street talk as a model and metaphor
for philosophy and pedagogy proceeds on the rule-breaking epistemological
assumption of «anything goes» based on local knowledge or «street
cred». Street talk is not bound by institutional rules and there
are no entry criteria; it is expressed in the vernacular, the local
dialect, and becomes expressive of the local culture.
Keywords: dialogue, street talk, Rorty
(side 214-225)
av Jenny Steinnes
The academic genre has been challenged from many different angles, such as poststructuralist perspectives on language, on the subject, and on the university as an institution for research and education ...
Engelsk sammendrag
The academic genre has been challenged
from many different angles, such as poststructuralist perspectives
on language, on the subject, and on the university as an institution
for research and education. The question of genre has been one of
Jacques Derrida’s most important philosophical issues, maybe even
the most important throughout his philosophical career. The genre
of the thesis is both an institution in itself and an important
part of the institution of academia. These institutions might be
challenged both by the writings of Derrida and by the writing of
candidates inspired by him. The topic of this article is: How to identify
and describe these challenges, and in so doing explore some implications
concerning how we think about the text in relation to the principle
of reason, the researcher – and the university.
Keywords: Derrida, post-structural, genre, institutions
(side 226-237)
av Nick Peim
This article explores shifts in the determination of truth in Foucault and Derrida. A conservative counter trend is identified as the desire to restore a proper relation in the truth ...
Engelsk sammendrag
This article explores shifts in the
determination of truth in Foucault and Derrida. A conservative counter
trend is identified as the desire to restore a ‘proper’ relation
in the truth of educational research. The relation to truth is inevitably
a matter of genre – of the attempt to decree, explicitly or implicitly,
what is proper to the domain, to the discourse and its social relations.
In the doctoral thesis – that defines the integrity of properly
validated knowledge – the relation to truth is, potentially, put
into play. The thesis has no determinate genre; even though it is
always constrained by the ghostly genre that decrees what is proper
to it. This article explores this strange, ‘spectral’ condition.
Keywords: ghosts, genre, truth, fiction
(side 238-251)
av Bosse Bergstedt og Anna Herbert
In this article we argue that there are several similarities between the process of Bildung and the process of producing a modern monography. A short historical summary of Bildung and ...
Engelsk sammendrag
In this article we argue that there
are several similarities between the process of Bildung and the
process of producing a modern monography. A short historical summary
of Bildung and hermeneutics is given, followed by a discussion concerning
the positioning and conceptualization of the individual within the
process of Bildung, which is then criticized from a poststructuralist
perspective, so as to suggest how the modern monography might be
developed to include an alternative view. Here, knowledge is seen
to arise from the interaction of both conscious and unconscious
processes, implying the necessity for a different type of research
which takes into account ruptures, gaps, inconsistencies and irregularities,
as opposed to looking for meaning, unity and consistencies. Presenting examples
of postmodern monographies, we argue that the modern thesis needs
to expand and/or change to allow for these new modes of research
to develop.
Keywords: bildung, monography, deconstruction, poststructural
(side 252-265)
av Jon Frode Jon Frode Blichfeldt
The article briefly introduces a normative and epistemological backdrop to our institutional mapping of knowledge. The assignment given to higher education may be said, in very general terms, to contribute ...
Engelsk sammendrag
The article briefly introduces a normative
and epistemological backdrop to our institutional mapping of knowledge.
The assignment given to higher education may be said, in very general
terms, to contribute to our knowledge of how to cope with life locally
and globally in acceptable and possibly innovative and better ways.
Our knowledge bases put to use through institutional maps of knowledge
are challenged as our coping is questioned. New relations between
practise and theory, transdisciplinary approaches to teaching and
learning, are requested. The central paragraph of the Norwegian
Act relating to Universities and University Colleges is used as
case of institutional mapping and a pretext for discussing knowledge
bases put to use. It is argued that the Act’s provision of alternative
career tracks might provide an opportunity bridging gaps between theory
and practise. The alternative track of «førstelektor» is seen to
comply with the international trend towards designing professional
doctorates, and additionally to meet the challenges of contemporary
society.
Keywords:mapping, knowledge, professional doctorate
(side 266-278)
av Stephen Stephen Dobson
The doctoral dissertation and its accompanying disputation are considered the epitome of the acadeamic institution. They consecrate the aspiring scholar, but their mission and position is far from clear in ...
Engelsk sammendrag
The doctoral dissertation and its accompanying
disputation are considered the epitome of the acadeamic institution.
They consecrate the aspiring scholar, but their mission and position
is far from clear in today’s academia. The arrival of the professional
doctorate and the doctorate by journal publication represent new innovations
that challenge not only the conception of the doctorate but also how
it is to be achieved. This article has three parts. Firstly an examination
of the genealogy of the disputation from the Greeks to the point
when it joins with the dissertation. Secondly, a consideration of
the relation between the text of the doctoral dissertation and its
oral defence. Thirdly, facing the challenge of new doctoral forms
an argument is made to re-think and re-conceptualise the ontological
space of the dissertation and disputation.
Keywords:disputation, oral, viva, ontology
(side 279-295)
av Thomas Thomas Aastrup Rømer
This article distinguishes between a traditional and a post-modern view of the emergence and assessment of scientific texts. The traditional view is characterised by dialogue, tradition, and emotionality, all ...
Engelsk sammendrag
Emergency and assessment of scientific
texts
This article distinguishes between a traditional and a post-modern
view of the emergence and assessment of scientific texts. The traditional
view is characterised by dialogue, tradition, and emotionality,
all of which are protected by a meta-narrative. Postmodern science,
on the other hand, is characterized by antagonisms, battles and
sudden appearances. It is argued that the activity of assessment
turns out differently in the two kinds of science. In traditional science,
assessment is liked to organic formative feedbacks, which may have
tacit dimensions. In postmodernity, it is argued, assessment is
not really possible at all. Only the content-oriented and hard working
criticism is possible. In this way, postmodern assessment somehow
returns to a more traditional view.
Keywords:judging, scientific knowledge, postmodern, meta-narrative
(side 296-305)
av Øivind Øivind Haaland
Since the time of the Enlightenment we have believed in scientific genres, publication and the fixed roles of the writer/researcher and the public as consumer/reader. In this essay ...
Engelsk sammendrag
Genre, publication and making public.
Since the time of the Enlightenment we have believed in scientific
genres, publication and the fixed roles of the writer/researcher
and the public as consumer/reader. In this essay these beliefs are
dislodged and seen in another light and as «out of joint». A number
of themes are explored: publication as a form of confession for
the general public, science as narrative and scientific truth as
something always something decided in the future meeting between
the reader/informants, rather than simply within the circle of the
scientific community.
Keywords: genre, publication, narrative, public
