Given, they ask, that a lot of publishing only adds weight to
library shelves and makes not much other difference, does the
research that such publications describe also make not much
difference, and what _does_ make a difference for students, for
ourselves, for the world and its future?
We can't know. We can only guess and estimate, and that more for
the short term and best for our nearest and most similar partners
in the networks of social connection. As what we say and do gets
situated in more and more distinctly different contexts (of
individual lives, of political crises, of new material
conditions) its meanings and uses/effects get rapidly more
unforeseeable.
That said, and given its due in humility and cautiousness and not
taking our work _too_ seriously, the principal effect of most
published (and unpublished) research in non-technical fields is
probably its effect on the researcher. A very small and pretty
unpredictable fraction of it has an impact on how other people
make sense of some things, and so in turn on what they do about
them. In the classroom or in more personal and sustained sorts of
interchanges, a larger fraction of what we say may make a
difference (though not again always a very predictable one). When
we admire a speaker, when there is some emotional and affective
connection, effects are greatly amplified (sometimes with
reversals!).
Our historical cultural models, at least the modern European
ones, have tended to emphasize professionalism, impersonality,
and objectivity in intellectual work and even in education.
That's great for efforts of small elites to try to control large
masses of people, but not for understanding the actual impact of
what we do. Even in technical fields, personal relations and
reputations matter a lot. They are a bit different there perhaps
in that the _artifacts_ and _natural things_ (whatever) have a
relatively greater say in the dialogue (that's complicated). In
social theory, education, human psychology, etc. the personal
matters far more that it is either believed to or supposed to.
So, yes, you can make a big difference to those people with whom
you have close, affectively charged, and sustained (even email)
relationships -- and that includes yourself! Doing research and
writing about it, even if no one learns of it or reads it,
changes you, makes you different not just in what you say on that
subject, but in how you act in relation to others in many ways.
Some of this experience affects us more than other parts; that
too is unpredictable.
Finally, as a member of a network or group, you can participate
in social effects and changes on a larger scale than you can
directly as an individual. If several teachers work together, if
you are active in an intellectual or political 'movement', or
just a faction or 'school of work', _some_ (not controlled by
you) of your input gets amplified to a larger scale, and all of
what happens on the larger scale depends to some degree
(sometimes very small) on you. Official 'credit' and the
historical chain of events may not agree on such matters either.
Do what will make a difference to _you_. Share intensively with
others you care about and who care about you. Participate in
wider networks with hope, recognizing unpredictability. And enjoy
our bright New Year!
JAY.
JAY LEMKE.
City University of New York.
BITNET: JLLBC who-is-at CUNYVM
INTERNET: JLLBC who-is-at CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU