Thread: Academics have a different obligation to the public than journalists do. When we speak on record, we are assumed to speak with authority based on research. Speaking unprepared is therefore a dereliction of our specific duty, not its fulfillment. 1/ https://twitter.com/annehelen/status/1265687482416263170
This is different than interviewing a bystander, or even a public official. In the former case, credibility is based on their presence and narrative cohesion. In the latter, expertise is relevant, but assumed from experience—rarely need to bring “receipts” except for scandal. 2/
Academics’ job is ALWAYS to bring receipts. Moreover, journalists interview us precisely for this reason—to provide facts and lend gravitas to stories. We have an obligation not to lend gravitas to our personal opinions, or to pretend we have receipts when we don’t. 3/
Unlike public officials, we do not get interviewed off the record; they’re not interested. So if we have something controversial to say, we can’t just low-key mention it to the Post. “Anonymous Davis professor says chocolate milk will fix the republic. News at five.” No.
4/
By extension, when we are on record, we can be harassed, doxxed, etc. for presenting our research. Happens to political scientists, historians, environ. scientists, etc. all the time. This happens even when we have the receipts! Can you imagine what happens when we flub? 5/
Also, like many other professions, we can be dismissed for controversial statements. Unlike many other professions, we are often dissolved into our universities (“New Davis study shows X”). Our uni’s name always gets dragged in. If we don’t have receipts, uni won’t back us. 6/
This doesn’t even get into the crazy shit we get asked. One journalist asked me if I thought Bill Clinton would have castration anxiety if HRC were elected. This is not what I study. Another, if women are better than men. Noooope. 7/
Many journalists are fantastic, of course. But w/o ongoing relationship/trust, we may be setting ourselves up for a frustrating, even professionally dangerous exchange. For this, we get zero credit at most institutions, bc we are hired to research and teach. 8/
Would you lightly volunteer to be doxxed or fired from your job in order to lend gravitas to someone else’s work? Probably not. Many academics do so anyway because they genuinely care about educating the public. I‘ve done many interviews for an ECR, and am glad I did. 9/
Finally, I have to weigh the prep time (not just meeting time) against all the other things I do in a day. Will I skip dinner with my partner? Push meeting a student or coauthor to another day? Rush a lesson plan? Miss responding to a publisher? 10/
Tl;dr: our obligations to the public (to bring the receipts) are different than other interviewees’. Our costs to do so are high. The payoffs are usually to others, including the journalists. 11/
Snarky version: When said journalists are ready to lesson plan for me at whim, they can call me at whim. Otherwise, they can book a slot next week just like my students and colleagues—the people to whom I do have obligations. /fin
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