Al-Diwan brings you the latest news and analysis from the publishing and academic worlds that relate to pedagogy and knowledge production.

Publishing

It’s time to stand up to the academic publishing industry
By Adriane MacDonald and Nicole Eva (University Affairs)

According to Adriane MacDonald and Nicole Eva, the current structure of academic publishing heavily tilts in favor of the publishers versus the academic producing and reviewing the work. Academics need to leverage the fact that publishers rely on their peer-reviews to adjust this relationship to be mutually beneficial.

What should I do if I’m ashamed of my published work?
By Elisa Gabbert (Electric Lit)

In Electric Lit’s advice column, Elisa Gabbert responds to two reader questions about how to address and move past negative relationships with previous publications. Gabbert emphasizes the importance of remembering the role of growth; the writer one is now is not the same as years ago, and personal evolution will naturally change how one perceived of old works.

Turning the Virtual Page: Virtual Reality and Traditional Publishing
By Samantha Howard (Publishing Trends) 

The solitary nature of both books and virtual reality as entertainment is what brings together publishing and the virtual reality worlds, according to Samantha Howard. Just as with writing, the possibilities are expansive with virtual reality, and programs like Oolipo and Editions at Play are working to bridge together writers’ skills in storytelling with the interactive abilities of virtual reality.

American Publishers, Libraries Cheer Marrakesh Treaty’s US Congressional Introduction
By Porter Anderson (Publishing Perspectives)

Should Congress pass the Marrakesh Treaty, English speakers with print disabilities will have greater access to published works. One of the largest concerns that came with the Marrakesh Treaty is the impact on copyright laws; however, the Marrakesh Treaty “amends the US Copyright Act to ensure compliance with this international arrangement to allow the creation and distribution of accessible format copies such as braille, audiobooks, and digital files.”

Ph.D.s Are Still Writing Poorly, Part I
By Rachel Toor (The Chronicle of Higher Education)

Going over book proposals with several assistant professors, Rachel Toor had to explain that in the years of work they poured into this dissertation, hoping it would land them tenure, “they had been disciplined, painfully, to write in ways that tormented them as graduate students.”

Education

How American High Schools Teach the Iraq War
By Nick Robins-Early and Rebecca Klein (Huffington Post)

Despite the influence of the Iraq War in shaping US foreign policy and current Middle Eastern politics, secondary school students lack a full grasp on the history of this war; rather, the Iraq War, and other recent conflicts, are left to be discusses in abstract and detached terms.

Sister Act: Is the Academic Sisterhood too good to be True?
By Holly Else (Times Higher Education)

Holly Else brings into question exactly what the nature of an academic sisterhood and its efficacy. Through interviews with various female faculty members, different understandings of how an academic sisterhood, or lack thereof, impacted their academic careers.

Campus learning: historians turn surroundings into study material
By Matthew Reisz (Times Higher Education) 

At the University of Roehampton in London, professors have developed a new course that utilizes the neighboring buildings, gardens, and memorials as tools to learn about the areas history. Instructors hope that in rooting the curriculum in the community, students will gain a deeper understanding of the learning opportunities that surround them outside of the university walls.

11 Essential Hashtags for Academics
By Academia Obscura (Academia Obscura)

At times Twitter might be a black hole, pulling in procrastinating academics for hours on end. That procrastination, though can be for good; Twitter offers many hashtags that can help PhD candidates navigate issues of finding advisors and funding, as well providing a needed push to start putting pen to paper.