Last Saturday at the ABA Conference, I moderated a panel called “Approaches to Scholarship in ADR,” featuring Michael Moffitt (Oregon), Scott Peppet (Colorado), Andrea Schneider (Marquette), and Jean Sternlight (UNLV). It was a wonderful discussion of the peculiar challenges of ADR scholarship, the mysteries of law review placement, and the demands of tenure for pre-tenured people. The panelists agreed to contribute tips for pre-tenured ADR scholars; here is that document.
At the panel discussion, Jill Gross (Pace) brought up an important point about the tension between conforming to the existing tenure process (which can be an awkward fit for ADR types) and working to redefine and reimagine that process. We did not have time to consider that point in depth, but it would be helpful to continue talking about it. Along those lines, and at the risk of people rolling their eyes, here is a link to a TED talk on the issue of aligning personal happiness and work success — could the tenure process someday, as a default matter, align academic passion, social engagement, intellectual impact, and academic success?
The panel Approaches to Scholarship in ADR sounds like quite an experience with a lot of valuable discussion taking place.
Coincidentally, I also had in my inbox Larry Susskind’s “Confessions of a Pracademic” from his CBI blog. In it he notes, “I don’t think the path I followed would allow me to earn a tenure appointment in my current department” today. If we value “pracademics,” that’s a problem.