Not all academics skin stories and stake them out. I am a historian. I've been reading sf since I was 12 years old, and as I have posted on the other site, if I wanted validation I'd have stuck to American religious history.

I don't know of any academic in sf, under 40, who wasn't a fan first. Certainly, no one who wanted validation before that would have worked on sf. Most of the older academics I know of had to fight very hard in their academies.

How the hell can I encroach on something I am a fan of? Or are we now deciding that if I write criticism in a fanzine it's ok, but if I send it to a journal, or publish it with Cambridge I've suddenly gaffeated?

fjm

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You want to publish critique in a fanzine or a journal or Cambridge, go to it. Enjoy. Have fun. I hope everything you write and send out is published to great acclaim and monetary reward. You're not what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about the online public behavior of academics in media fandom, and to some extent academics in media fandom who are similarly rude in person at cons.

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Thanks for the clarification. :-) My mentor is actually one of the fan-first science fiction academics. Kind of awesome, 'cause he was in the Star Wars anniversary special on History Channel, and he genuinely loves his work.

Can you point me at examples of really rude academics? I want to know what I shouldn't become.

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Although I'm deeply tempted to name names and burn all my bridges, I will refrain. Instead, I'll say that if you want to write me in email we can talk about it. Of course, since you're also an academic, they're not likely to be rude to you, are they?

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Ah, but I am a lowly undergraduate whose email is distaff dot exile at gmail dot com, so don't hesitate to write. ;-)

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Of course, since you're also an academic, they're not likely to be rude to you, are they?

Academics are vicious.

(And I'm a grad student and very fond of many academics, but seriously, being part of the club is no guarantee of basic courtesy, much less protection from professional sabotage. Alas.)

-Carmarthen

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