Substack Academic summer

In which I loosely confabulate about academic writing, reviewing, and literary heroes

Elsewhere, they may be talking about Substack Summer, but over here, it is definitely academic summer. In the UK, that currently means unseasonably hot weather, a notable reduction in email, and way too many master’s dissertation students to supervise. (For anyone in the UK: yes, we still do compulsory master’s dissertations, for anyone in Europe or the US: yes, I know it is summer and no, it does not mean no teaching – just a little less teaching.)

So, I spend a lot of my time reading. From students, varying levels of AI slop, ranging from complete incoherence in suspiciously competent English prose to actually some much-improved engagement with research design and philosophy. From journals and funding agencies, I have been sent to review a wide variety of projects – some really engaging and interesting, even if some of them did not make it through the review, some that left me cold, and others that made my blood boil.

On Bullshit

Whilst I normally try to restrain myself, given that I still have to send out review letters as a guest editor with several journals, pretty much the sole reason why I own a copy of Harry Frankfurt’s marvellous little book On Bullshit, is because I review for management and organisation studies journals. Yep, that’s pretty much why I bought it. That’s why I keep going back to it. Does it help? – You may ask. Well, a little – I’d respond. I used to have a little print-out of the following quote on the pinboard in my office:

It is impossible for someone to lie unless he thinks he knows the truth. Producing bullshit requires no such conviction. (Harry Frankfurt, not me)