I had resisted reading short stories since school. For some reason, I couldn't fathom that a few pages would be enough to make an interesting piece of fiction to read, and I always skipped the one included in The New Yorker issues. But then I decided to read Alice Munro in her entirety, and I finally got it. They are interesting pieces to read, and I've since read Stefan Zweig's short stories.
So what does this have to do with writing? It has strangely liberated me from worrying about the length of my novel. If it's short, it's short. Funny how that happened.
Something else happened, this time while reading Zweig's journals, especially the early ones before World War I. He describes his days as he was writing various books that I have now read. Well, didn't he just describe really mundane things like bill-paying and correspondence, as well as keen moments like when he read poetry or had a good conversation with a fellow artist. That got me over my latest bout of writer's block, which only lasted three weeks and didn't affect email or blogs, just essay-length stuff. I mean, my life is also full of these calm, unstressed periods where the biggest deal is having a good talk or creative session, and the rest is just dealing with mundane matters, essential to just living, but not interesting in themselves. I was shocked. I was therefore on track, and not fading away as a writer, thinking I would never write again (I think this every writer's block, but it's never true and remembering that I think this every time makes no difference....I finished the book and got my diary out and started writing again. What do you know?
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Book Review: Christopher Browning
Christopher S. Browning, Constructivism, Narrative and Foreign Policy Analysis / A Case Study of Finland, paru chez Peter Lang, 2009.
Le volume de C.S. Browning examine la politique étrangère de la Finlande de 1809 jusqu’à nos jours, sous l’angle du constructivisme et de l’analyse historique. Son point de vue se fonde sur deux approches combinées. La première de celles-ci est l’approche constructivistes des relations internationales. La seconde est une historique de l’identité nationale finlandaise, des champs d’action qui en découlent, et de la politique étrangère comme cas particulier de ces champs d’action. L’auteur démontre la validité de son approche novatrice en rapportant dans leur ensemble les narrations d’épisodes nationaux en parallèle avec les orientations connues de la politique étrangère finlandaise.
L’identité nationale n’est pas unitaire mais pluraliste, et ses différentes composantes, comme d’ailleurs les différentes historiques nationales, se recoupent autant qu’elles se font concours. En soulignant le dynamisme implicite dans tout ceci, l’auteur remet en question l’approche plus connue du matérialisme rationaliste. Il remet aussi en question les interprétations actuelles de l’histoire finlandaise qui suggèrent que dans son ensemble la société s’est éloigné de l’Orient et donc de l’influence russe pour se rapprocher de plus en plus de l’Occident. En effet, selon la présente analyse, ce sont les périodes du grand duché et de la guerre froide qui marquent l’ascendant oriental, et les périodes de l’entre-deux-guerres et de la décennie des années 1990 qui marquent l’ascendant occidental. M. Browning consacre un chapitre à chaque période, quoique son analyse relève plus du cliché ponctuel que d’un cinéma plus continu, comme il le reconnaît lui-même. Le présent volume accorde donc une importance supérieure aux multiplicités et aux contingences, puisqu’il considère l’établissement de la politique étrangère comme étant un processus hautement politisé. Qui plus est, Browning suggère que ce processus affecte l’exercice du pouvoir, et plus particulièrement le pouvoir de définir subjectivement la réalité.
Le développement théorique est donc de toute première importance. Il exige une lecture attentive, voire ardue, puisqu’il comporte beaucoup de nuances. L’hypothèse de fond est que l’expérience vécue et les réalités sociales sont autant de questions d’historique, et ce, dans leur nature même. La façon de représenter l’expérience et l’histoire collective est le fondement de tout ce qui est politique. Au milieu d’un monde complexe où les citoyens sont bombardés plus que jamais par des renseignements disparates qui rendent une vue d’ensemble difficile, le contrôle individuel et collectif ne peut faire autrement que de s’exercer par le biais de cette historique commune – elle est essentielle à tout sens d’appartenance. Ainsi, la politique étrangère s’établit par un processus selon lequel la société est en continuelle reconstitution, tant à travers ses interactions avec d’autres et l’établissement de frontières sur les groupes d’appartenance. La faille dans ce savant argument est l’existence croissante de multiplicités, tant au niveau des différentes identités à l’intérieur d’un seul état, qui pourraient être distinctes sans être moins d’appartenance nationale pour autant. Il est aussi possible que les individus ou les groupes relevant de ces différentes identités ne jouissent pas de pouvoir politique égal, ou encore pas en proportion à leur nombre ou à leur intégration. Un américain de souche italienne de pleine citoyenneté aura-t-il la même place qu’un turc de deuxième ou troisième génération en Allemagne, alors qu’il ne jouit toujours pas d’une citoyenneté? Comment la théorie proposée peut-elle s’accommoder de ces réalités très répandues dans les puissances moyennes? N’y aurait-il pas lieu de centrer l’argument sur la citoyenneté plutôt que le flou de l’identité nationale?
Le livre de Browning offre une contribution à deux niveaux, celui de la littérature sur les puissances moyennes et celui de la politique étrangère. La situation de la Finlande est d’autant plus intéressante pour les chercheurs canadiens qu’il s’agit d’un état dont l’identité s’est établie assez tard, si on la compare aux autres pays d’Europe occidentale. La situation finlandaise offre une perspective intéressante qui devrait dépasser par ses applications l’expertise des spécialistes soit de la Scandinavie, des républiques baltes ou de la Finlande. Elle devrait aussi intéresser tout chercheur qui se penche sur l’analyse de la politique étrangère ou les questions des politiques européennes en général. Browning fait preuve d’une certaine habileté au niveau du développement théorique pour ce qui est des relations entre l’identité nationale et la politique étrangère, un développement qui s’applique à d’autres situations. Il est possible pour les puissances moyennes d’être intelligentes. Il s’agit d’une proposition détaillé, bien fondée et, si elle s’applique bien à la Finlande, il est possible d’imaginer qu’elle s’appliquerait aussi à d’autres puissances moyennes.
Le volume de C.S. Browning examine la politique étrangère de la Finlande de 1809 jusqu’à nos jours, sous l’angle du constructivisme et de l’analyse historique. Son point de vue se fonde sur deux approches combinées. La première de celles-ci est l’approche constructivistes des relations internationales. La seconde est une historique de l’identité nationale finlandaise, des champs d’action qui en découlent, et de la politique étrangère comme cas particulier de ces champs d’action. L’auteur démontre la validité de son approche novatrice en rapportant dans leur ensemble les narrations d’épisodes nationaux en parallèle avec les orientations connues de la politique étrangère finlandaise.
L’identité nationale n’est pas unitaire mais pluraliste, et ses différentes composantes, comme d’ailleurs les différentes historiques nationales, se recoupent autant qu’elles se font concours. En soulignant le dynamisme implicite dans tout ceci, l’auteur remet en question l’approche plus connue du matérialisme rationaliste. Il remet aussi en question les interprétations actuelles de l’histoire finlandaise qui suggèrent que dans son ensemble la société s’est éloigné de l’Orient et donc de l’influence russe pour se rapprocher de plus en plus de l’Occident. En effet, selon la présente analyse, ce sont les périodes du grand duché et de la guerre froide qui marquent l’ascendant oriental, et les périodes de l’entre-deux-guerres et de la décennie des années 1990 qui marquent l’ascendant occidental. M. Browning consacre un chapitre à chaque période, quoique son analyse relève plus du cliché ponctuel que d’un cinéma plus continu, comme il le reconnaît lui-même. Le présent volume accorde donc une importance supérieure aux multiplicités et aux contingences, puisqu’il considère l’établissement de la politique étrangère comme étant un processus hautement politisé. Qui plus est, Browning suggère que ce processus affecte l’exercice du pouvoir, et plus particulièrement le pouvoir de définir subjectivement la réalité.
Le développement théorique est donc de toute première importance. Il exige une lecture attentive, voire ardue, puisqu’il comporte beaucoup de nuances. L’hypothèse de fond est que l’expérience vécue et les réalités sociales sont autant de questions d’historique, et ce, dans leur nature même. La façon de représenter l’expérience et l’histoire collective est le fondement de tout ce qui est politique. Au milieu d’un monde complexe où les citoyens sont bombardés plus que jamais par des renseignements disparates qui rendent une vue d’ensemble difficile, le contrôle individuel et collectif ne peut faire autrement que de s’exercer par le biais de cette historique commune – elle est essentielle à tout sens d’appartenance. Ainsi, la politique étrangère s’établit par un processus selon lequel la société est en continuelle reconstitution, tant à travers ses interactions avec d’autres et l’établissement de frontières sur les groupes d’appartenance. La faille dans ce savant argument est l’existence croissante de multiplicités, tant au niveau des différentes identités à l’intérieur d’un seul état, qui pourraient être distinctes sans être moins d’appartenance nationale pour autant. Il est aussi possible que les individus ou les groupes relevant de ces différentes identités ne jouissent pas de pouvoir politique égal, ou encore pas en proportion à leur nombre ou à leur intégration. Un américain de souche italienne de pleine citoyenneté aura-t-il la même place qu’un turc de deuxième ou troisième génération en Allemagne, alors qu’il ne jouit toujours pas d’une citoyenneté? Comment la théorie proposée peut-elle s’accommoder de ces réalités très répandues dans les puissances moyennes? N’y aurait-il pas lieu de centrer l’argument sur la citoyenneté plutôt que le flou de l’identité nationale?
Le livre de Browning offre une contribution à deux niveaux, celui de la littérature sur les puissances moyennes et celui de la politique étrangère. La situation de la Finlande est d’autant plus intéressante pour les chercheurs canadiens qu’il s’agit d’un état dont l’identité s’est établie assez tard, si on la compare aux autres pays d’Europe occidentale. La situation finlandaise offre une perspective intéressante qui devrait dépasser par ses applications l’expertise des spécialistes soit de la Scandinavie, des républiques baltes ou de la Finlande. Elle devrait aussi intéresser tout chercheur qui se penche sur l’analyse de la politique étrangère ou les questions des politiques européennes en général. Browning fait preuve d’une certaine habileté au niveau du développement théorique pour ce qui est des relations entre l’identité nationale et la politique étrangère, un développement qui s’applique à d’autres situations. Il est possible pour les puissances moyennes d’être intelligentes. Il s’agit d’une proposition détaillé, bien fondée et, si elle s’applique bien à la Finlande, il est possible d’imaginer qu’elle s’appliquerait aussi à d’autres puissances moyennes.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Professional Development in Teaching
Professional development in teaching
So far I have:
• written two texts, Strategic Activism and Political Strategy and Tactics, which have been adopted elsewhere
• co-taught without pay with the professor responsible for Instructional Development, Ken Brown, for a term
• taught a workshop on teaching for graduate students at Lakehead University
• offered to repeat the workshop on teaching for graduate students at Lakehead University
• held noon-time discussions for professors who teach in a language other than their first
• taught a workshop on teaching at Durham Technical University to about 55 professors
• written an article on active pedagogy that is on the University of Saskatchewan Medical School’s active pedagogy website
• taught 18 different courses in four fields (out of five in political science)
• taught during my first sabbatical, at Rutgers
• taught workshops in a wide range of environments in order to hone my skills ( provincial correctional centre, closed-custody center for young offenders, refugee leaders, providers of refugee services, general council of a congregation, general staff in South Korea, China, Japan)
• wrote a paper on the inclusion of students in curriculum review
• read in the area of active pedagogy, curriculum review, effective explanations, meta-cognition, analogical reasoning
• held discussions with experts in various fields that might affect how students react in the classroom, e.g. specialists in video- and computer-gaming, or analogical inference
• conducted a program of interdisciplinary structured reading (see paquettereading.blogspot.com)
• researched the structure of curriculum in programs of political science
• researched the rotation of courses offered by the department
• moved from lecturing to hands-on learning and then meta-cognitive assignments
• introduced research workshops in collaboration with the university library
• developed meta-cognitive assignments for research workshops
• started bringing in guest speakers such as Superior Court justices with experience in international law
• started using Web-CT
• started using live-streaming video from such sources as the United Nations
• started using political films as the basis for introducing students to meta-cognitive assignments
Since 2003, when the teaching evaluation questions changed and I introduced meta-cognitive assignments, I have:
• written a 55 page document on these assignments, which has been adopted elsewhere
• introduced earned praise and private suggestions as feedback to students
• changed the deadlines of assignments to increase the structure
• changed the late policy as a result of the deadline structure
• taped and posted lectures on Web-CT
• added an analytical exercise for the meta-cognitive assignments
• added workshops on the meta-cognitive shortly before each deadline
• reduced the number of assignments
• added special office hours in advance of the deadlines
• revised the outlines repeatedly, including a major overhaul in 2008
• proposed papers for the university teaching seminars, although none have been accepted yet
• prepared for classes by extensive reading in news and current events
• developed and introduced Wiki-based assignments
None of these changes has affected the lower than average scores on the student evaluations (which also have changed at about the same time). In addition, the changes made last year did not all result in improvements, which shows at leas that a certain level of maturity has been reached. What I proposed to try next:
• add a summing up exercise so students are more aware of what they have learned, either using the learning diary or the Wiki assignment
• consider whether the meta-cognitive assignments ought to be bonus-earning rather than required
• review the outlines again with respect to clarity of language, grading criteria, instructor self-evaluation, and learner outcomes
• introduce work on meta-cognition immediately after the experiential learning occurs
• revise the 55 page document on the assignments to give examples that are closer to subject matter students propose
I propose to write papers on active pedagogy and multimedia and post-secondary teaching as time permits. They already exist in outline
One of the questions I now am exploring is whether the questions of the student evaluation are simply not comprehensive enough for my teaching methods (or, indeed, anyone who uses pedagogy different from the mainstream one). For example, for meta-cognitive pedagogy, Timpson proposes in Metateaching and the Instructional Map. All of them are to be graded from 1 (low) to 5 (high): teacher knowledge, teacher enthusiasm/ energy, teacher preparation/ organization, teacher clarity, student engagement, content/activity meaningfulness, positive learning climate, feedback to students. To these, I would add: applicability of learning to other situations, learning compared to other courses.
Meta-cognition is a feature of some of my pedagogical activities outside teaching at LU, and it is certainly true that meta-cognition is difficult for anyone, let alone successful individuals. In the words of one of my military collaborators, “You have to start by finding generals who are smart enough to understand what you are doing.”
So far I have:
• written two texts, Strategic Activism and Political Strategy and Tactics, which have been adopted elsewhere
• co-taught without pay with the professor responsible for Instructional Development, Ken Brown, for a term
• taught a workshop on teaching for graduate students at Lakehead University
• offered to repeat the workshop on teaching for graduate students at Lakehead University
• held noon-time discussions for professors who teach in a language other than their first
• taught a workshop on teaching at Durham Technical University to about 55 professors
• written an article on active pedagogy that is on the University of Saskatchewan Medical School’s active pedagogy website
• taught 18 different courses in four fields (out of five in political science)
• taught during my first sabbatical, at Rutgers
• taught workshops in a wide range of environments in order to hone my skills ( provincial correctional centre, closed-custody center for young offenders, refugee leaders, providers of refugee services, general council of a congregation, general staff in South Korea, China, Japan)
• wrote a paper on the inclusion of students in curriculum review
• read in the area of active pedagogy, curriculum review, effective explanations, meta-cognition, analogical reasoning
• held discussions with experts in various fields that might affect how students react in the classroom, e.g. specialists in video- and computer-gaming, or analogical inference
• conducted a program of interdisciplinary structured reading (see paquettereading.blogspot.com)
• researched the structure of curriculum in programs of political science
• researched the rotation of courses offered by the department
• moved from lecturing to hands-on learning and then meta-cognitive assignments
• introduced research workshops in collaboration with the university library
• developed meta-cognitive assignments for research workshops
• started bringing in guest speakers such as Superior Court justices with experience in international law
• started using Web-CT
• started using live-streaming video from such sources as the United Nations
• started using political films as the basis for introducing students to meta-cognitive assignments
Since 2003, when the teaching evaluation questions changed and I introduced meta-cognitive assignments, I have:
• written a 55 page document on these assignments, which has been adopted elsewhere
• introduced earned praise and private suggestions as feedback to students
• changed the deadlines of assignments to increase the structure
• changed the late policy as a result of the deadline structure
• taped and posted lectures on Web-CT
• added an analytical exercise for the meta-cognitive assignments
• added workshops on the meta-cognitive shortly before each deadline
• reduced the number of assignments
• added special office hours in advance of the deadlines
• revised the outlines repeatedly, including a major overhaul in 2008
• proposed papers for the university teaching seminars, although none have been accepted yet
• prepared for classes by extensive reading in news and current events
• developed and introduced Wiki-based assignments
None of these changes has affected the lower than average scores on the student evaluations (which also have changed at about the same time). In addition, the changes made last year did not all result in improvements, which shows at leas that a certain level of maturity has been reached. What I proposed to try next:
• add a summing up exercise so students are more aware of what they have learned, either using the learning diary or the Wiki assignment
• consider whether the meta-cognitive assignments ought to be bonus-earning rather than required
• review the outlines again with respect to clarity of language, grading criteria, instructor self-evaluation, and learner outcomes
• introduce work on meta-cognition immediately after the experiential learning occurs
• revise the 55 page document on the assignments to give examples that are closer to subject matter students propose
I propose to write papers on active pedagogy and multimedia and post-secondary teaching as time permits. They already exist in outline
One of the questions I now am exploring is whether the questions of the student evaluation are simply not comprehensive enough for my teaching methods (or, indeed, anyone who uses pedagogy different from the mainstream one). For example, for meta-cognitive pedagogy, Timpson proposes in Metateaching and the Instructional Map. All of them are to be graded from 1 (low) to 5 (high): teacher knowledge, teacher enthusiasm/ energy, teacher preparation/ organization, teacher clarity, student engagement, content/activity meaningfulness, positive learning climate, feedback to students. To these, I would add: applicability of learning to other situations, learning compared to other courses.
Meta-cognition is a feature of some of my pedagogical activities outside teaching at LU, and it is certainly true that meta-cognition is difficult for anyone, let alone successful individuals. In the words of one of my military collaborators, “You have to start by finding generals who are smart enough to understand what you are doing.”
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Creativity and Others
I was experiencing some stress in areas of my life unrelated to my writing, and I had a chance under that bell jar to examine my own creativity more. Because of the stress I was unable to concentrate enough to write -- I'd get my work out and dry up after a single page, which almost never happens -- and even unable to read. Fortunately this is now unusual. I felt this intense urge to express, and yet it wasn't relieved by my talking with my closest friends. I actually spent the day doing that, and it didn't relieve the pressure. I tried doing bead work, made several pieces, but I was still pressed. Finally I went to work out to see if I could relax and come down, at 9 pm which is past my usual bedtime! I was better, but the need to express was still very strong. The next morning I got out my paints and a canvas -- I haven't touched this stuff in at least seven years. But the moment the brush, loaded with paint, touched the canvas, I was relieved of that pressure. It was amazing. And it was sooooooooothing.
So I discovered that my creativity is at least in part a strong desire to express myself, and that expressing myself to other people is very important. I have known for some time that teaching, say, or talking to others releases that pressure, and so I can not write nearly as much during the times that I am teaching. Over time, my ability to write has become better and I can now sometimes write while I am teaching, and also different types of writing are more demanding that others. I can always blog, it would appear, no matter how stressed I've become.
So I suppose that if the urge to interact with other people actually springs for human nature's sexuality, then there is a link between sexuality and creativity. I can hear all the Freudians laughing at the obviousness of the last remark, but, really, this is what I just figured out.
So I discovered that my creativity is at least in part a strong desire to express myself, and that expressing myself to other people is very important. I have known for some time that teaching, say, or talking to others releases that pressure, and so I can not write nearly as much during the times that I am teaching. Over time, my ability to write has become better and I can now sometimes write while I am teaching, and also different types of writing are more demanding that others. I can always blog, it would appear, no matter how stressed I've become.
So I suppose that if the urge to interact with other people actually springs for human nature's sexuality, then there is a link between sexuality and creativity. I can hear all the Freudians laughing at the obviousness of the last remark, but, really, this is what I just figured out.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Scholarship and Creative Writing
In conversation with a friend, she read me a quote from Martha Graham about talent, and I read her a quote by Schopenhauer -- where talent is like an archer hitting a target that is much further than others, but genius is like an archer hitting a target that no one can see yet. I was talking about the fact that some of my writing, done for professional reasons, caught on with a comparatively small number of people, and she asked me if my work was ahead of its time. I said that was possible, and that there was no way to check that, and then we discussed Kierkegaard and his anonymity until the 1950s. I then said that the play I wrote that we are both working on getting produced was not ahead of its time at all, and she agreed. It then occurred to me for the first time that I might be a better scholar than I am a writer. Hm mm....It had never occurred to me. On the other hand, who knows what direction my writing will take me.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Pig-Headedness on the Novel Side, OK on the Rest
Well, I'm back to my novel, for however long it lasts. I sat down this week, realizing with pleasure that my personal healing from fear of rejection now allows me to be that much more faithful to the work of art inside my head. However, this meant that on page 11 of Mim, I had to go in a different direction than the other 175 pages I had already written, and I rebelled at trashing that much work. Now I recognize I may be learning to write a novel, as I once learned to write an essay, but I became completely stymied and have not written for three days. Part of me refuses to set that work aside. Well, it cost me a lot to get to the point that I could write what I did -- that draft dates from last summer -- so I suppose I must honor that.
I submitted my thirteenth non-fiction book to the editor this week, drafted to the point where only a few rewrites are needed a paper I'm giving in May, typed up and discussed with two artists a draft of a play, handed a play to be proof read to a playwright friend, discussed my fourteenth non-fiction book with a publisher, who gave me a verbal go ahead, and had a great idea for my fifteenth non-fiction book, which I could get to rewriting stage in about two weeks, I think. One of the artists asked me if I was writing right now, and I realized when she asked that I'm always writing, that I do a different kind of writing when I'm on the week-ends, as opposed to not writing at all. A couple of weeks ago, I had totaled what I wrote last year, and I didn't think it was that impressive. So I guess I gave myself a kick in the butt.
I submitted my thirteenth non-fiction book to the editor this week, drafted to the point where only a few rewrites are needed a paper I'm giving in May, typed up and discussed with two artists a draft of a play, handed a play to be proof read to a playwright friend, discussed my fourteenth non-fiction book with a publisher, who gave me a verbal go ahead, and had a great idea for my fifteenth non-fiction book, which I could get to rewriting stage in about two weeks, I think. One of the artists asked me if I was writing right now, and I realized when she asked that I'm always writing, that I do a different kind of writing when I'm on the week-ends, as opposed to not writing at all. A couple of weeks ago, I had totaled what I wrote last year, and I didn't think it was that impressive. So I guess I gave myself a kick in the butt.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Surowieck, Dutton
I read Wisdom of Crowds, which discusses how groups sometimes get better answers to problems than individuals, and Art Instinct, which discusses, I think, the way in which the senses and the physicality lead to art.
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