But blogs have downsides too. Posting a daily entry takes time that could be better spent on research, teaching or relaxing. Debating with commenters can easily become a distraction from the tedious work of getting a “revise and resubmit” back to a journal. And for junior academics there is always the risk that professorial colleagues will view blogging as a sign that one is not a “serious” academic. From my own perspective, blogging has been a rewarding complement to my research - but the medium is not for everyone.
Over the decades Australian universities have not always embraced change. A few months after connecting the nation to the Internet, Melbourne University boldly asked its staff whether they wanted email. Almost every respondent said no.
Today, amid the demands of teaching, administration and research, many academics reasonably wonder why they should bother with cyberspace. The answer is simple: the Internet is rapidly becoming the world’s library. Posting articles on a personal website is the equivalent of making sure one’s book is on the shelf.
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Once you’ve done that, the bloggers are the rowdy folks in the café next door. Join us if you have time.
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About the Author
Andrew Leigh is the member for Fraser (ACT). Prior to his election in 2010, he was a professor in the Research School of Economics at the Australian National University, and has previously worked as associate to Justice Michael Kirby of the High Court of Australia, a lawyer for Clifford Chance (London), and a researcher for the Progressive Policy Institute (Washington DC). He holds a PhD from Harvard University and has published three books and over 50 journal articles. His books include Disconnected (2010), Battlers and Billionaires (2013) and The Economics of Just About Everything (2014).
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