the defense of political science

…most (but not all) adjuncts on our roster teach in the humanities, composition in particular. Humanities are not the only discipline area taking it in the funding neck. Consider the defunding of political science and other social sciences. 

Aleisha Karjala (USAO): Political Science's Contribution to General Education at Liberal Arts Colleges. Carol Geary Schneider on Eric Cantor’s attack on social science research. When someone attacks physics, Neil DeGrasse Tyson is there to defend it — but who comes to the defense of political science? Budget hawks' plans to cut funding for political and social science aren't just short-sighted and simple-minded — they'll actually hurt national security. The American Political Science Association releases a statement on how the Senate delivered a devastating blow to the integrity of the scientific process (and more at the Chronicle of Higher Education and more at Inside Higher Ed). Daniel W. Drezner on why political science can drive political scientists to drink: “We could have the best arguments in the world and still recognize that political science is good and truly fked”.

Reposted from the defense of political science at bookforum's  blog, omnivore, which published daily themed collections of briefly annotated links on an eclectic range topics that frequently covers higher education.

Less "academic" areas tertiary education (as styled in the UK to cover all post-secondary areas) are not without problems. GED testing has been privatized, giving a major prep materials vendor a corner on that market: testing charges will double next year. Other adult education programs across the country are being cut. As Joe Berry points out, those teaching in these program are non contract instructors, in a word - adjuncts. That makes the instructors our colleagues in both teaching and precarity. These other areas and global post-secondary education on our reading lists. Education is part of our mission. Informing the uninformed trumps arguing with them.