Post Academic

So I was forwarded an email about an Alterna-MLA that’s taking place in LA during the “real MLA.” Actually, they’re calling it a “Counter-Conference.”  Maybe Post-Academic should set up some counter/alterna job interviews at it?  Anyway, I’m cutting-and-pasting the info on it below (there doesn’t seem to be a centralized website for it yet), in case, you know, you need to get your blood boiling between convention interviews…

A Counter-Conference: Strategies for Defending Higher Education

This counter-conference will take place during the annual Modern Language Convention in Los Angeles, January 8th, 2011 from 1-5 at Loyola Law School (919 Albany St).  While thousands of people will be meeting at the traditional convention, we will hold a one-day event centered on discussing actual strategies for making higher education more just.  Speakers will be presenting short papers on topics like the death of tenure, the corporatization of the university, the possibilities of unionization, direct social action, the use and abuse of graduate students, organizing contingent faculty, and taking back shared governance.

Schedule:

Remaking the University of California: 1:00-1:45
Catharine Liu, Chris Newfield, Joshua Clover

Defending the Humanities and Shared Governance: 1:45-2:30
Cary Nelson, Jeffrey Williams, Michelle Masse

Organizing Labor and the Academic Class War: 2:30-3:15
Marc Bousquet, Maria Maisto, Joe Berry

Quality, Access, and Affordability:  3:30-4:15
Murray Sperber and Bob Samuels

Open Discussion on Strategies for Changing Higher Education: 4:15-4:45.
(We may also add a panel on student organizing)

Please RSVP to bobsamuels_us [at] yahoo [dot] com if you plan to come; a $10 donation will be suggested but not required, and you do not have to be a member of MLA to attend.