The Scholar in Society -- Bruce Robbins

Evolution - everything changes. Are there any absolutes? Reading Robbins essay “The Scholar in Society” I felt a tinge of sorrow and elation. Robbins asserts that the role of the scholar is to seek and exact change in the world, and at the same time accomplish this weighty goal with as much enthusiasm as possible. Furthermore the scholar is to create an atmosphere in which students find value and worth within the subject so that work being studied is significant and relevant. He states plainly “scholars seeking both to interpret and to change the wider world, also have to seek a wider social legitimation” (325). It appears the goals often circumvent the role of the scholar. In other words while scholars work toward educating students seeking higher education they face surmountable odds in which to do so. For example, Robbins discusses the downward trend of those seeking positions in universities due to the increase in adjunct positions. This I find a bit disheartening. In fact, I find that the overwhelming enthusiasm of the professors to be the locus of the university itself. Would it not that the professor engage the student in a global conversation there would be no change -- no need for reformation of any kind. For her/his part, the scholar provides the very pulse and heartbeat of the university.