Yesterday’s TaxProf Blog linked to this “Advice for New Faculty” from Harvard Economics Professor Greg Mankiw:
Avoid activities that will distract you from research. Whatever you do, do not start a blog. That will only establish your lack of seriousness as a scholar.
Professor Jim Maule (Villanova) had this to say via the Tax Prof listserv (reprinted with permission):
When will those who have captured law schools and turned them into student-financed think tanks come to their senses and realize that blogging, writing practice-oriented materials, subscribing to practitioner lists in areas in which they teach, and matching their areas of writing with their areas of interest do far more for the success of law school graduates than the overhyped determination to out-Harvard Harvard or to move up one or a few spots in someone’s rankings?
Both Mankiw and Maule have their own blogs (Greg Mankiw’s Blog and mauledagain, respectively). Perhaps Mankiw intended to limit his advice to Economics faculty members. How does Mankiw fare under his own analysis (or does tenure bring gravitas to blogging)? At least in the legal academy, Maule has it right, in my view.
-Bridget Crawford
