Thu, 13 Oct 1994 13:36:27 -0700 for <socgrad@UCSD.EDU>
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 1994 15:27:10 -0500 (CDT)
From: Michael Gibbons <mgibbons@cwis.unomaha.edu>
Subject: Re: Graduate Student Defined
To: Wanda Kosinski <wkosinsk@ultrix.ramapo.edu>
Wanda,

The title of this list is socgrad meaning this is a list primarily for
grad students in sociology.  It is my understanding that in the past
participants who were faculty or undergrad have been asked to leave.  I am
not trying to be exclusionary, I am just thinking that if this is a list
for grad students, it should be that.  The whole purpose of letting Young
participate is to get some input that would be otherwise absent.  But, at
the same time, we want to keep the list to grad students, I assume.  If
this is not a list primarily for grad students, please explain the title
to me.

As far as nonparticipation goes, I find that participation almost always
invites a richer academic experience.  I also find that the
nonparticipants are primarily women in class, and suspect therefore,
that under the guise of shyness, there are probably more women
nonparticipating on socgrad as well.  The question of nonparticipants is
therefore inescapably gender-bound.  Prove to me that it's not.  Also,
recognizing this gender disparity, I hereby invite women to speak up.

I can't help but address the whole subject of nonparticipation with
cynicism, because of this pervasive disparity between genders (and also
any others not encouraged in our society to speak up).  Therefore, I am
inclined to wonder about your point regarding nonparticipation, Wanda. 
Correct me if I have misrepresented you.

Thanks
mike