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The Harvard Letter

 There’s a lot to talk about in these readings (as always!), especially as related to questions of discipline, culture/meaning make, the political/what should be political, and the academy/school (and the self - I really liked the interview with Hall). Nevertheless, I want to talk about the Giroux piece and citational practices, as put in context with the Harvard letter. 


I think the Harvard letter speaks to a lot of Giroux’s argument and the ways in which educators can become agents of corporate power (343). It also stirred conversation about sexual/abuse within the academy, though many are highlighting the fact that this is *happening in almost every institution, whether among faculty and students or students and students or TAs and students, everyday.* The point is that sexual abuse is rampant and many in the academy *know* of known abusers, even if only through whispered networks. And, yet, nothing is done; but perhaps most importantly, these scholars are still scholars of high esteem. They are cited and referenced and kept in power. Specifically, a scholar referenced many time in cultural studies. Now, if Giroux knows this I have no idea, but I do. Where does that leave us within cultural studies? What do we do with their work and/or citing them? Or is the Harvard letter another ephemeral instance reminding survivors “how little it registers, how little we’ve been able to change anything or get anybody to do anything” (Hall, 1992, 83).

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