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interdisciplinary education, and civic involvement will potentially have profound effects
on those directly affected, as well as the larger world. Each us of can play our small parts
on our home campuses. With energy costs rising, what better time to get our
university/college president’s attention, and to link these higher energy costs to a broader
discussion of long-term energy security, the increasing costs of education, the relevance
of the curriculum in a post-carbon world, and the importance of maintaining and
expanding civic principles.
Our second goal should be an expectation that academic intellectuals become public
intellectuals as well. This is more difficult, to be sure, because it requires significant
changes in the academic reward structures. The tenured faculty, administrators, and
members/leaders of professional organizations among us should work to seek broader
definitions of “research,” “publication,” and “service” that extend beyond “specialty,”
“peer review,” and “campus committees.” Every college, university, and academic
professional organization should create and encourage an expectation of pro bono work
among its members. Service teaching should become as much a standard on our
campuses as service learning is becoming. With time and practice, even the most inward
of academic disciplines and practitioners will be able to contribute to the social
conversation about, and solutions to, the central challenges of the day.
V. It’s an Exciting Time to be a Political Theorist!
It sure does look like the social and political systems held in place by our good geological
fortune may be in need of some serious tinkering. That is not so bad since our current
systems have always resisted any notion or discussion of limits, civic democracy, or an
Convention