[While I don’t
consistently cover current events in this space, I do try when I can to connect
the histories, stories, and issues on which I focus to our contemporary moment.
But sometimes it’s important to
flip that script, and to contextualize some of those contemporary
connections. So this week, I’ll do that with five ongoing American stories. I’d
love to hear your thoughts, on them and on any other current stories!]
On two pieces of
mine that have contributed to an unfolding debate.
In late
November, President
Obama announced perhaps the most controversial single policy of his
presidency to date: his plan
for addressing the interconnected issues of illegal immigration,
deportations of undocumented immigrant parents, border security, and more. As
someone who’s hoping
and working to become an AmericanStudies public scholar, contributing to
our national conversations and collective memories around precisely such
issues, and someone who’s most
recent book focused overtly on immigration in American history and culture,
this felt like a very significant moment. And I’m proud to say that I was able
to add my voice and ideas to those conversations, in one particularly striking
and one smaller but still I believe meaningful way:
1)
The striking effort was this
post on the Talking Points Memo (TPM) website. As of this writing (on
November 23rd), the post has received just under 70,000 views, more
than 31,000 Facebook likes, and has become one of TPM’s most viewed and shared
stories in months. While I’d love to take all the credit for that success
(along with my colleagues at the
Scholars Strategy Network who helped me place the piece), I believe it was
due at least as much to perfect timing as to anything in my writing and ideas.
And I’d say that’s been a vital public scholarly lesson I’m continuing to learn—to
put myself and my work in position to capitalize on things like timing and
opportunity, rather than waiting for audience or conversation to come to me.
2)
The smaller effort (in terms of my contribution,
not the piece overall) was this
collectively authored post on the new U.S. version of The Conversation. My
own contribution was a concise version of the TPM post, which is the only
reason I’m describing it as smaller. Because in truth, one of the most vital
parts of public scholarship is (no pun intended) conversation, putting our own
voice and ideas in dialogue with all those around us, which certainly includes
our fellow scholars such as the great group who contributed to that post. As
these immigration debates unfold, I believe it’ll be vitally important for many
such scholarly voices to take part, and I’m excited and honored to be among
those who have had the chance to do so.
Next current
story tomorrow,
Ben
PS. What do you
think? Other current events you’d highlight?
PPS. A quick addendum on the TPM piece: it has now received more than 100,000 views and was #4 on TPM's list of their hottest pieces in 2014! Excited to keep finding ways to add my voice to this and other debates in the new year.
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