Critical studies defined and applied

Some public comment has attacked critical studies and others have advocated it as essential to the future of contemporary learning. Steve Mintz defines what critical studies actually is and takes it another step by suggesting that evolution of critical studies in practice might lead to a reorganization of disciplines. He says, "If colleges and universities were to establish academic departments and disciplines today from scratch, we'd shift away from the traditional departments established in the late 19th and and early 20th centuries. The stand-alone, stand-apart department model would give way to interdisciplinary studies to a greater extent and reflect the complexity of global challenges that do not fit neatly within traditional disciplinary boundaries."

Amen! My view has almost always been that academic departments are dysfunctional and undermine the truly cutting-edge transformation of learning. The departments' insistent on maintaining supremacy tells us a lot - the insularity is sought because it protects enclaves of intellectual independence and thereby fails to see all of the important issues that fall between the cracks. My background in music is probably the origin of my belief in interdisciplinarity but experience being marginalized in student affairs also demonstrates the inadequacies of the department model.