WASPs and Academia

remember I told you they had a failed search for the tt position? Well, I think that yesterday I found out who the person that they'd really loved and had wanted to hire was (he got what he wanted somewhere else, BTW, I'm just waiting for the confirmation in the new school's dept. website come fall).

I was a little bit angry to find out he was a WASP male (aren't wasps always male? I thought so somehow). I really find it ironic that he was to be the sole representative of my country and culture in this institution of higher learning. I guess that's why they need a minority person in a subordinate position to compensate.

yeah... right.

now, wasps are highly valued in academia, that's for sure.

OK, this is a pointless rant, as the professor emeritus this guy was going to be replacing was also a wasp and he wrote good stuff about my country. but... more often than not, it's wasps that they want for senior positions in academia. minorities and women can even become dept. chairs (as is and was the case), but still... they want to hire a wasp. They may hire another one next Spring, but maybe not. Maybe it'll be a man from my country. ;)