Prescence of Others

I really do not have any deep attachment to Presence of Others. The essays and pieces of writing in it are not unpopular and can easily be found on the internet. Am I saying the students should be forced to find these articles? No. We can easily supply them with copies. I, for one, do not use nearly enough essays or pieces of writing out of the book for it to be worth the student’s money. I do appreciate the diversity academic pursuits that the book attempts to bring and I do believe it succeeds in stimulating the students in some form or another, but it has never really struck me as superior.

What would I recommend for an alternative…tricky question. I prefer to use contemporary articles from credible newspapers, magazines, internet sites, or other media venues. But these venues do not give access to academic works. It is in that sense that I find Presence of Others valuable because it gives us a direct source. While the articles can be found on the internet, we are not going to know where to directly go for them.

One criticism my students often complain about the book is that the articles in it are clearly not geared towards them, but more so towards an academic audience. As one student put it, “Does anything in this book have to do with anything that matters?” While I agree that we need to show them how these articles do apply, I still hold to the position that we need to take into account what will engage our students naturally and stimulate their interest without our prior aid.

I have to agree with what Charity about how to implement the text through course reserves or even going through blackboard. There is also the possible alternative of referencing many online materials which may aid the student in their development.