re: Carol's comments

Julia Keefer (keefer@is3.nyu.edu)
Fri, 10 Apr 1998 09:45:08 -1000

Steve,
I loved your presentation and enjoyed talking with you during
some of the MOOS. Academic freedom is very important to me and
something I discussed at length in my paper as well.
This summer I'm teaching a course in Major Twentieth Century
Writers and have been reading the Japanese Nobel prize-winners. Your
insightful descriptions of the differences between Japanese and Western
culture will make the literary analyses much more fruitful.
I look forward to another conference where we can really explore
cultural differences and how we can switch from American chauvinism to a
more empathetic, understanding world community. Best wishes, Julia
"Evergreen" Keefer

On Fri, 10 Apr 1998, Steve McCarty wrote:

> It was exceedingly gracious of Julia Keefer to contribute to the discussion
> despite something I expressed poorly, and I stand corrected. I applaud
> those who are adjunct teachers by choice, and otherwise involved in the
> community. I'm not close to the situation except for similar trends in
> Japan such as the undermining of tenure, but in recent history great
> strides were made in Academia while there was academic freedom
> under tenure, and it is unfortunate when individuals are deprived of
> the possibility of tenure on other than scholarly grounds. So it must add
> insult to injury if adjuncts are treated disrespectfully. Most of you are
> more eminent than I am, so such disrespect would not have occurred to me.
> Please excuse the imprecision. All too often I find the Japanese expression
> "Sumimasen" useful, for it means both "I'm sorry" and "Thank you." May its
> literal meaning of never ending also apply to our association.
>
> Allow me to also introduce the bio-page for my conference presentation:
> <http://leahi.kcc.hawaii.edu/org/tcon98/keynote/mccarty.bio.html>.
>
> Collegially,
> Steve McCarty
> Professor, Kagawa Junior College, Japan
> steve_mc@ws0.kagawa-jc.ac.jp
>
>