Some quick thoughts and questions about this recent post from The Chronicle of Higher Ed, “For Whom is College Being Reinvented.” The authors of the article bring up several good points, including the crucial questions that MOOCs face. How legitimate is online education? How will online ed overcome the fact that face to face classroom time is crucial for learning [...]

During my recent IHS webcast and post on being a public intellectual and getting involved with the media, I suggested a few strategies for getting started. Here’s an example of a versatile issue where everyone can get involved: government financing for stadiums and arenas. They very clearly benefit special interests, but research by economists like Dennis Coates and Brad Humphreys suggests that [...]

When applying to grad school, your CV (curriculum vitae) typically need not be longer than one page.  It may be longer if you’re coming from an MA program, but undergrads should average around a page.  The CV is your handshake, and readers can infer a lot about you from what may seem like a standard document.  The content of your [...]

When you’re up for tenure, you will be evaluated on the basis of your teaching, your research, and your service. Why, then, should you do public intellectual work like speaking to local organizations, appearing on TV and radio, and writing occasional articles, op-eds, and letters to the editor of your local newspaper? If you already have a solid tenure file, [...]

The application for our Humane Studies Fellowship is live. Each year, IHS awards fellowships to liberty-advancing students with awards ranging from $2000-$15000 in addition to individual advising and support for academic careers. The deadline to apply for the 2013/14 academic year is January 31, 2013.     For faculty, we have put together a small packet which contains a PDF [...]

Recent Posts Academic Tech: Reasons to Consider An eReader for Academic Research Kevin Currie-Knight’s latest post is on using an e-reader and e-books for academic research. He goes into the benefits of using one and addresses how to cite from an e-book for academic work. Podcast: Jason Brennan on His New Book “Libertarianism” Bill Glod and Jason Brennan sat down to [...]

A few years ago, my wife and I moved. Both of us are avid readers and moving our vast – and heavy – collection of books convinced us to get ebook readers (I got a Barnes & Noble Nook, she an Amazon Kindle).  Not only did they prove to be a convenient way not to add more to our overflowing [...]

ATTENTION GRADUATE STUDENTS: PUT DOWN THE RAMEN PICK UP A PEN APPLY FOR THE IHS HUMANE STUDIES FELLOWSHIP Step 1: Don’t stock up on ramen at Rico’s Discount Mega Mart. You won’t be needing it. Step 2: Instead, apply for the IHS Humane Studies Fellowship by Thursday January 31, 2013! Email me, Aaron Gordon (agordon @ ihs.gmu.edu) if you have any concerns. Step 3: Get money for grad [...]

Education Director at the Institute for Economics Affairs, and former IHS program officer, Steve Davies with some advice for those of you preparing for interviews on the academic job market. Steve Davies: The Job Interview from Kosmos on Vimeo.          

Given the characteristics of the academic calendar, most grad students will find themselves with a about 3-4 weeks of “down time” between the end of the fall semester and the resumption of classes in mid January. This winter break is largely unique to academia, extending beyond the typical Christmas-to-New-Years holiday period found in most other professions. When conscientious grad students [...]