Almost a year ago Lilia (mathemagenic.com) had a post about why it's hard to blog in Russian. Among other things she mentioned the language of one's own professional community and the difficulties of writing for a non-existent audience. Clearly, I have the same problems. The language of my professional actitivities is English, the audience for sharing and exchanging is mostly English-speaking.

Nevertheless, I decided to start a journal in Russian. The idea behind my blog (journal?) in Russian is trivial: I want to keep up with what's happening on Russian internet (or Runet as we call it). And I hope that some kind of a community with similar interests, however small or invisible it may be, is out there.

I named it (simply and unpretentiously :) "Publichnaya kartoteka", which can be translated as "A public index card file." The word public ("publichnaya") in Russian contains the word "personal" (lichnaya), so it's a kind of public-personal card file. The idea of taking notes on index cards, filing and organizing them became very special to me because of two things:
- "Foucault's Pendulum" by Umberto Eco
- Nabokov's method of writing on index cards and keeping them in a shoe-box (I read it in some interview with him but some people think it's Nabokov's evasive teasing)
Anyway, the medium might have its own effect but the inspiration comes from good old index cards. We'll see how it goes.

Blogging; Theory and methodology

Browsing weblogs and digesting summer classes, I came up with another idea of why people blog.

According to Habermas, the social evolution can be characterized by the uncoupling of system and lifeworld. Initially conceptualized through the division of labor, systems are functionally specified domains of actions that contribute to the maintenance of society as a whole. Market, law and bureaucracy can be considered such systemic domains. The concept of lifeworld is described in Habermas’ “Theory of communicative action” as a cultural milieu, an implicit resource we draw upon to understand, communicate and act. It is “the intuitively present, … familiar and transparent, and at the same time vast and incalculable web of presuppositions that have to be satisfied if an actual utterance is to be at all meaningful, that is valid or invalid.” (p. 131) Habermas constantly emphasizes the “backgroundness” of the lifeworld, its taken-for-grantedness and the unquestionable nature.

During the social evolution lifeworld is not only uncoupled with system, it becomes an environment for system. In other words, it’s treated like a subsystem (e.g. like economics or politics). Power and money (called “media” by Habermas) replace language in communicative actions eliminating the chance to negotiate and criticize. Jobs and schools are parts of the system where power and money replace linguistic communication. We are paid for our work, placed on some step of a hierarchy and are obliged to follow formal rules. All decisions are made on the level of contracts, handbooks and formal policies and not through actual interaction and understanding.

The lifeworld is cut off from the system, it is mediatized and colonized by it. With the lifeworld cut off and colonized, the crises of meaning, identity and solidarity arise.

Blogging can be considered an attempt to reconnect with the lifeworld and a way to deal with crises. In some way, it is an attempt not to loose something important that can not be codified in regulations and laws but still can be misused and violated. Some unspoken lifeworld norms that promote mutual understanding and make individuals less alienated and hostile.

To generalize, do people blog because they miss authentic communication in some spheres of their life?

Quite recently I realised that doing research for the sake of research is selfish and unproductive. It doesn't mean that all research should have immediate practical implications, but it has to be somehow valuable to the society. The most obvious value of research is in educating others. Through activism, writing, teaching, etc. Can't say I really do these kinds of things but teaching seems more and more appealing in this context.

Chronicle of Higher Education gives some practical advice on how to be better prepared for talking about teaching during the job interview. It is a nice starting point even for those who didn't have a chance to teach so far (like me). In addition to doing your homework and studying the universities you're applying to, at least four issues need to be prepared (thought of) in advance:

• Prepare to teach a variety of courses in a discipline, not a particular course. Thinking about course design, grading and debates in the field is as important as knowing what texts to read.
• Promote student learning. How to engage students? What kind of technologies, assignments and assessments to use?
• Remember about sensitive issues. Discussions about race, class, gender, religious or ethical issues may result in big arguments or conflicts. How to manage and lead them in a civilized manner?
• Balance teaching and research. What parts of one's own research can be used in teaching undergraduates? How research can help teaching even at introductiory level?

At some point of their studies most PhD students need moral and social support so it's nice to know that a group like this one is out there...

PhinisheD: for those who cannot seem to finish their dissertations or theses. Description from the website:

*This discussion and support group is for you if:

• You are sick to death of people asking you "How is your dissertation [or thesis] coming?" (but you really would like to talk about your troubles in finishing -- with anybody except those who keep asking, no matter how genuinely concerned they may be, or may seem to be).
• You have vague fears about finishing, but don't feel you have a safe outlet for discussing whatever it is you seem to be afraid of.
• You're having organizational problems or blocks.
• You are not getting the kind of support you need -- from your university, your employer, your family members or friends. Maybe you don't even know what kind of support you need, just that you don't have it!
• Face-to-face support groups offered by your university don't suit you, for whatever reason.
• You've been in this stagnant state of incompletion, and want to help those still plugging, or flailing.

Worth browsing for any graduate student.

Today at my pragmatics class a guest speaker professor Rebecca Mahan-Taylor talked about teaching pragmatics of a foreign language. She brought an Afghan colleague to help her demonstrate some practical things. Thus, we had a cultural quiz about Afghanistan, which basically showed all of us that we know nothing about it. And that to be able speak Dari, for example, it’s necessary to learn implicit cultural rules of communication.

At the end of the class students asked this Afghan person to tell a little bit about his country and the Afghan people. When he talked about greetings and shaking hands with others, it seemed to me that these customs were influenced by Soviet traditions. So I asked what he thought about Soviet influence on the Afghan culture. Turned out, it wasn’t such a good question.

He started with a statement that even though Soviets wanted to conquer Afganistan, Afghans as a proud and freedom-loving people finally kicked the Soviets out of their country. I can accept it as a slightly exaggerated truth. Then he said that Soviets are bad and the Afghans don’t like them. OK, can be accepted too. But, he continued, Afghans love Americans. And America should help Afghanistan with money. What? Afghans, he added, are good people and even if somebody has evil intentions, it doesn’t mean that the whole country is like that. Well, as a former Soviet, I totally agree :)

He went on and on, talking about bad Soviets and good Americans, friendship between the US and Afghanistan, and need for money and other kinds of help. He even said that helping will bring you, Americans, peace of mind. When somebody asked “Is it true that if a man looked at a married woman, he could be killed in Afghanistan?”, the Afghan teacher seemed confused for a second, but than answered: “Yes, but only in some remote provinces where people are illiterate. In our culture a woman belongs to her husband, so nobody can look at her or talk to her without his permission. But it’s not that strong nowadays.” That’s comforting.

Honestly, I was upset. Not even by the one-sidedness of this man’s story. More by inappropriateness of this call for help and money. Of course, it’s true that Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and left it ruined. But a) creating a positive image of one’s own country simply by blaming Soviet Union for all the negative never works; b) acknowledging controversies gives a better impression than mitigating them; c) showing love to Americans and asking for money at the same time has a hypocrisy flavor.

Returning to pragmatics, this want of money behind communication violates at least one of the Gricean maxims, namely, “Be relevant.” I wouldn't go into the quality maxim here.