it happens! because of scholarly politics, my uncle wasn't awarded a Ph.D. for his pioneering work in Australian geology so he became a school teacher (and, in fairness, he was a prickly character).
After his death, the Australian National Library contacted me because they wanted his papers for their archives, but I had to tell him that his widow had burnt them "because no-one is interested in his work".
it happens! because of scholarly politics, my uncle wasn't awarded a Ph.D. for his pioneering work in Australian geology so he became a school teacher (and, in fairness, he was a prickly character).
After his death, the Australian National Library contacted me because they wanted his papers for their archives, but I had to tell him that his widow had burnt them "because no-one is interested in his work".
Yes, I believe it does happen; and I think it -- unrecognized scholarly achievement -- happens more often than one might think -- precisely because "unrecognized achievement" in question is not widely recognized. The British, I have long thought, know better than most how to handle prickly geniuses: the British give their prickly academics endearing or familiarizing names -- e.g., idiosyncratic, woolly[sp?]-headed, etc. -- and put up with the foibles and irritating habits of such people. U.S. law schools are much less tolerant of faculty members' personal foibles. Perhaps that's because law schools are generally as wedded to power as they are to truth.
3 comments:
it happens! because of scholarly politics, my uncle wasn't awarded a Ph.D. for his pioneering work in Australian geology so he became a school teacher (and, in fairness, he was a prickly character).
After his death, the Australian National Library contacted me because they wanted his papers for their archives, but I had to tell him that his widow had burnt them "because no-one is interested in his work".
Felix
it happens! because of scholarly politics, my uncle wasn't awarded a Ph.D. for his pioneering work in Australian geology so he became a school teacher (and, in fairness, he was a prickly character).
After his death, the Australian National Library contacted me because they wanted his papers for their archives, but I had to tell him that his widow had burnt them "because no-one is interested in his work".
Felix
Yes, I believe it does happen; and I think it -- unrecognized scholarly achievement -- happens more often than one might think -- precisely because "unrecognized achievement" in question is not widely recognized.
The British, I have long thought, know better than most how to handle prickly geniuses: the British give their prickly academics endearing or familiarizing names -- e.g., idiosyncratic, woolly[sp?]-headed, etc. -- and put up with the foibles and irritating habits of such people. U.S. law schools are much less tolerant of faculty members' personal foibles. Perhaps that's because law schools are generally as wedded to power as they are to truth.
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