Diane:
I think that if you look at the log of messages and into the history of the
xlchc and xmca lists, it will be hard to justify marginalization as the
motive for the establishment of the xgrad list; at least marginalization
exerted by the professor-types. Instead, I think you will find that the
establishment of such a list was at the request of grad student-types,
possibly because of their own notions that somehow they needed a 'safe'
environment in which to discuss 'their' issues. I admit that this is still
a form of marginalization, but it is a self-marginalization; not unlike
what I imagine "self-colonization" to mean in critical pedagogy circles. I
see such self-marginalization as an attempt to 'gain a voice' albeit in a
'safe' setting and not a silencing and unnecessary though it may be in the
case of xlchc/xmca.
Why did they feel the need for such a 'safe' place? Possibly due to
experiences with professor-types, but not those on this list, so far as the
typical behavior has been on this list since I joined in late '89. I can
recall several interchanges on the list since that time in which someone
who seemed to expect to be marginalized overacted on the list in ways
intended to avoid such treatment and found surprise on the part of the list
members.
I would also point out that having been a participant on a number of lists
over the years, this(ese) list(s) xlchc/xclass/xmca are not exactly typical
in that it is typical for the members of this list to actually 'listen' to
each other and respond respectfully and tolerantly to each other's ideas
and not their status. On the other hand, on even the most contentious of
the academic lists to which I belong, I have not really seen a put-down of
a student. I have seen them disagreed with and politely informed that
their submission to a list is off-subject for the list. These are no more
or less than would be done to another professor-type. (A recent occurrance
of this and subsequent discussion occurred on the AREA-C list just a few
weeks ago.)
Dewey
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dewey I. Dykstra, Jr. Phone: (208)385-3105
Professor of Physics Dept: (208)385-3775
Department of Physics/MCF421/418 Fax: (208)385-4330
Boise State University dykstrad who-is-at bsumail.idbsu.edu
1910 University Drive Boise Highlanders
Boise, ID 83725-1570 novice piper
"Physical concepts are the free creations of the human mind and
are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the external
world."--A. Einstein in The Evolution of Physics with L. Infeld,
1938
"Don't mistake your watermelon for the universe." --K. Amdahl in
There Are No Electrons, 1991.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++