At the annual gathering of the Modern Language Association (MLA), panel members seemed to talk past each other. Mark Bauerlein and David Horowitz each criticized the professoriate for not acknowledging real problems in the classroom or the ways identity politics can infringe on academic freedom. Norma V. Canti and Cary Nelson did not respond to…

In "Moderating the Debate: Rationality and the Promise of American Education," Michael Feuer raises concerns about the consequences of basing educational policy on the model of rational choice drawn from economics. Policy making would be better and more realistic, he suggests, if it were based on a newer procedural model drawn from cognitive…

I would like to begin by thanking the editors of the journal, and in particular Carmen Silva-Corvalan, for inviting such a wonderful group of commentators, united in their commitment to spirited yet courteous academic debate and diverse in their academic allegiances, theories, and methodologies. I also thank the commentators for the kindness and…

This classroom note describes the lessons I learned from the use of formal debates during the two semesters I taught "Paul and Early Christianity" to undergraduates at a liberal arts college in Ohio. The purpose of the course was primarily to give students the exegetical skills to understand Paul in his own context. The secondary purpose…

Purpose: In this afterword, I will offer some final thoughts on this clinical forum by considering a central question of EBP--how experimental validation is defined--to illustrate the difficulty involved in implementing EBP. Method: The comments draw on critical reviews I have received on my article in this forum and conversations I have had with…

The US Navy is encountering fierce resistance at home over its plans to develop a laboratory in Honolulu at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. Proponents of the proposed facility assert it will bring millions of dollars to the campus, but critics question whether universities should engage in classified research and weapons development, and fear that…

Discusses ideas presented in the book "A Moment on the Earth: The Coming Age of Environmental Optimism," which takes the position that environmentalists and some environmental scientists are wrong for preaching despair when environmental problems are near solution. Presents three reviews of the book ranging in opinion. (LZ)

As the concern over liberal bias has become more widely broadcast with regard to the subject of academic freedom, it does not come as a surprise that there should be some faculty members who either redress or else shy away from engaging in dialogue that might be considered to be controversial or invite debate with its discussion. This article…

Analyzes a 1976 House of Representatives' debate in light of classical writings on the problem of defining and using "power" for rhetorical ends. Outlines the classical solution of powerful diction, brevity, and figures of speech for intensifying the impact of already compelling argument and applies these to the contemporary analysis.…

The article contends that previous scholars have misread George Pierce Baker's efforts by focusing primarily on "The Principles of Argumentation" and the role of logic. Baker's view of logic was more complex than scholars have claimed. He challenged traditional concepts of formal logic, highlighting only those aspects that would help students…

Argues that debate is not antithetical to Japanese culture and that Japan has indigenous traditions of argument and debate. Outlines the Japanese tradition of argumentation prior to the "opening to the West" in 1853. Suggests a more expansive model of debate as appropriate to cross-cultural analysis. (HB)

Studies generally undergo an evaluation process before they are accepted for publication in an academic journal, presented at a conference, or released by a think tank. This article discusses the release of unreviewed research that sparks debate over the need for tighter peer-review mechanisms. Researchers from two of the nation's most eminent…

Academic humanists have been hearing that too much of their research and teaching was politicized, trivialized by a fascination with popular culture, and preoccupied with questions of race, gender, and class. The most frequent target of critics are literary theorists and others farthest from traditional subjects and approaches. (MLW)

The field of early intervention has long been involved in a heated debate between proponents of behavioral teaching strategies and professionals against it. This debate has become more focused and clearly more relevant to the quality of services afforded to young children with special needs because more of these youngsters are being served in…

Advocates of critical literacy emphasize the empowering role that literacy can and should play in reshaping the environment in which one lives and works. Through mastering the skills of critical literacy, students apply the inquiry process and knowledge gained as a means for political or social action. By gathering appropriate information,…