[Editor’s note: This is a new weekly feature from your blog contributors. Each week, we’ll be posting articles, books, news, etc., that Tom, Mike, and the ESN community have been pondering. If you have a book or article you’d like us to add to next week’s Review, add it in the comments or send it to either Mike or Tom. Thanks!]
After Accepting Students, NYU Asks Them: Are We Too Costly for You? (Chronicle of Higher Education, $) – NYU is asking admitted students to consider whether they can truly afford to attend.
Not Moving On Up – The MLA’s new report (Standing Still) finds that women are promoted to full professor at a slower rate than men, and that pregnancy and childrearing may not have much to do with the trend.
Following Christ 2008 track audios: Lots of good material! Join Tom in digging in, discussing, and passing along to those with interest.
Pastor and Scholar: John Piper and D.A. Carson recently spoke together on the topics “The Pastor as Scholar” (Piper) and “The Scholar as Pastor” (Carson) at an event sponsored by TEDS. They mostly focused on theological/seminary scholarship, but lots of good stuff about vocation, the integration of faith, life, and learning, and personal experiences. Audio, video, and manuscripts are available for download.
Do you need a PhD to teach in higher education? Rob Jenkins doesn’t think so.
Tech Stuff
Amazon releases the Kindle DX
Omeka – A new open-source project for online archives, scholarly websites, and other “complex narratives.” (HT: Dan Cohen)
Free Amazon Web Services for Academics – Mike has no idea what this actually means, but he’s sure it will be useful to someone. (HT: MacWorld)
Books
Your Mind Matters by John Stott. In June, we’re going to begin an on-line discussion series of this 93 page classic introduction to Christian thinking. In order to be prepared, Tom once again picked up his heavily notated edition. If you don’t already have a copy of Your Mind Matters, borrow one from your InterVarsity staff or order one with your Emerging Scholars Network discount for InterVarsity Press. More details tba 😉
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive & Others Die by Chip & Dan Heath (HT: Mike). In the first chapter, Tom’s most impressed with Commander’s Intent, what he summarizes as the compact, core idea which guides good decision making in the field as one’s best laid plans unwind in the midst of the daily grind. Love this quote, “No plan survives contact with the enemy. No doubt this principle has resonance for people who have no military experience whatsoever. No sales plan survives contact with the customer. No lesson plan survives contact with teenagers” (p.27, italics in original text).
Reaching the Campus Tribes by Benson Hines is a free on-line book exploring campus ministry in the USA (HT: The IVY Jungle Network Campus Ministry April 2009 Update). Tom encourages you to take the time to download, skim, enjoy the pics, and share your thoughts. He’s posted some initial reflections here and more here.
The former Associate Director for the Emerging Scholars Network, Micheal lives in Cincinnati with his wife and three children and works as a web manager for a national storage and organization company. He writes about work, vocation, and finding meaning in what you do at No Small Actors.