Outed by 'the chair'
My department chair (that's how we say it in Academia to avoid the sexism of "chairman," even though it makes him sound like an ornate piece of furniture) recently invited me to speak to one of his classes.
To establish my credentials, he handed a copy of my book Her Hidden Children: The Rise of Wicca and Paganism in America around the seminar table.
Because I teach English rather than history of religion, not too many people had known about it. I did thank him in the preface for his support of my unconventional scholarship, however. But I had to chuckle too, because some of these students are my students this semester too.
I don't exactly wear my pentagram on my sleeve at the university. I am what I am (and they ought to give the department some kind of diversity points benefit for having me), but I don't advertise.
Consider, for instance, my student C____, with whom I worked closely on an important project over the summer, one that might further her career. She's bright and willing to do far more than the minimum work required. She is also more or less of a fundamentalist Christian. It would not surprise me if she thinks that the universe was created in six 24-hour days. But I liked having her in class all the same.
If she knew I was in the Craft, would it spoil the professor-student relationship? All she would have to do is Google me, but students are generally incurious about their professors' lives, I think.
Meanwhile, another student who was working on an interview-based article in a magazine-writing class told me that if her first interviewee did not work out, she could interview "a friend who was Pagan."
"Let's stick with Plan A," I said.
And, meanwhile, a department colleague asked me if Her Hidden Children was for sale in the university bookstore.
Duh! I had completely forgotten about the display shelves of books by faculty members.
So I printed out the page from AltaMira Press's online catalog and took it to the bookstore manager.
Today she emailed me: It's back-ordered until December.
I should be glad, since that seems to indicate that it is selling. Hope so.
To establish my credentials, he handed a copy of my book Her Hidden Children: The Rise of Wicca and Paganism in America around the seminar table.
Because I teach English rather than history of religion, not too many people had known about it. I did thank him in the preface for his support of my unconventional scholarship, however. But I had to chuckle too, because some of these students are my students this semester too.
I don't exactly wear my pentagram on my sleeve at the university. I am what I am (and they ought to give the department some kind of diversity points benefit for having me), but I don't advertise.
Consider, for instance, my student C____, with whom I worked closely on an important project over the summer, one that might further her career. She's bright and willing to do far more than the minimum work required. She is also more or less of a fundamentalist Christian. It would not surprise me if she thinks that the universe was created in six 24-hour days. But I liked having her in class all the same.
If she knew I was in the Craft, would it spoil the professor-student relationship? All she would have to do is Google me, but students are generally incurious about their professors' lives, I think.
Meanwhile, another student who was working on an interview-based article in a magazine-writing class told me that if her first interviewee did not work out, she could interview "a friend who was Pagan."
"Let's stick with Plan A," I said.
And, meanwhile, a department colleague asked me if Her Hidden Children was for sale in the university bookstore.
Duh! I had completely forgotten about the display shelves of books by faculty members.
So I printed out the page from AltaMira Press's online catalog and took it to the bookstore manager.
Today she emailed me: It's back-ordered until December.
I should be glad, since that seems to indicate that it is selling. Hope so.
posted by Chas S. Clifton at 9:15 PM Permalink
5 Comments:
i have the oppisit problem, as a postgraduate student, most of the lectures/proffesors are weary of my topic which is on paganism or they are weary of me, cause they know i'm a pagan. luckly i my i have the opposite problem, as a postgraduate student, most of the lectures/professors are weary of my topic which is on paganism or they are weary of me, cause they know i'm a pagan. lucky my supervisor and co supervisor are brilliant even if paganism is not really their area.
also i have your book Her Hidden Children and have found it most useful. thanks for writing it. i was holding out for someone to write on the history of paganism in America. And one day someone might write a history of paganism in New Zealand, but at this stage it is not going to be me.
supervisor and co supervisor are brilliant even if paganism is not really their area.
also i have your book Her Hidden Children and have found it most usefull. thanks for writing it. i was holding out for someone to write on the histoy of pagansim in america.
It certainly means the book is selling. Good for you!
*laughing* Ah, dear. Well, at least you know your chair doesn't have a problem with it.
The fundamentalist Christians at my school have (thus far) not been a problem, either as individual students who find themselves needing to distance themselves from me or in the form of angry parents. Of course, this is Massachusetts, not Colorado. And of course, there's plenty of time for trouble to come up--this is my magic year, not for "tenure" exactly. But after this year, the administration will need to show a _reason_ to terminate my employment--a distinct advantage over the first few years of teaching.
I do, however, try to be at least discreet enough to avoid rising to the obvious straight lines--on Friday, one of my classroom comedians told me that I should dress as a witch on Halloween. (He didn't like his grade.)
I held back the impulse to reply that I dress like a Witch every day, thanks.
Glad your book is selling. Good luck to you (and to me).
It should sell out. I really enjoyed the book, and I enjoyed all of the sources you used even more.
Your book is now on the required reading list in our teaching circle.
Cara
Thanks, Cara.
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