Enemies of promise : publishing, perishing, and the eclipse of scholarship

Why should books drive the academic hierarchy? This controversial question posed by Lindsay Waters ignited fierce debate in the academy and its presses, as he warned that the "publish or perish" dictum was breaking down the academic system in the United States. Waters hones his argument in this pamphlet with a new set of questions that challenge the previously unassailable link between publishing and tenure. As one of the most important and innovative editors in the humanities and social sciences, Waters has long witnessed the self-destruction occurring in the academic world because of the pressure to publish. Drawing upon his years of experience, he reveals how this principle is destroying the quality of educational institutions and the ideals of higher learning. It is time for scholars to rise up, Waters argues, and reclaim the governance of their institutions. "Why books? Lindsay Waters has already sparked a heated debate in the academy, warning that the academic system in the United States, based on the "publish or perish" dictum, is breaking down. In this new pamphlet, Waters brings the debate to a whole new level. He speaks from deep in the heart of the academic machine, as one of the most important and innovative editors in the humanities and social sciences, long witness to the damage the academic world is inflicting upon itself with its unreasonable demands for publication. It is time for scholars to reclaim governance of their own, beloved institutions."--BOOK JACKET