Don't you miss the days when you were able to curl up with a good book on a consistent basis? Many students do. Once Dartmouth's academic and extracurricular engine gets going, a lot of simple pleasures like reading get tossed to the side. I'm no English major, but I sense that both students and faculty alike feel rather under-read, especially in academic disciplines outside their comfort zones. It might be the manifestation of some romantic literary gene in my body, but I do think that knowledge is a virtue.
Students are being underserved in their pursuit of knowledge when there is little institutional support for the reading of great books. Students need structured opportunities to support each of their genuine desires to learn, without the pressure of grades.
One of the best ways to find success is to imitate it. I'd like to see every department at Dartmouth look to the examples of economics professors Douglas Irwin and Meir Kohn, who each led reading groups the past two terms, covering everything from Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations" to Jane Jacobs's "Economy of Cities." All participants in these groups had an interest in, and basic understanding of, economics, but our majors ranged from art history to anthropology. We engaged with great texts during a dinner meeting once a week in Silsby Hall. We would read a chapter or so, and guide our reading with some questions written up by the professor, which we were then free to address during our discussions.
Participating in my reading group was one of my most fulfilling academic experiences at Dartmouth. Works such as "Wealth of Nations" transformed their fields and affected policy and theory for centuries to come. Novels like Jacobs's "Economy of Cities" challenged my preconceptions about cities, innovation and economic growth. I was intellectually engaged in a powerful way; after all, I chose to budget my time to read a chapter a week and attend the meetings. And the discussions held, and arguments raised, were as good or better than many I've seen in my classes.
The power of a reading group, however, should not be limited to students interested in economics. The opportunity for intimate student"faculty interaction and academic growth is present in every academic discipline. Based on the difficulty of even getting into the reading group, I do not think other departments would have trouble with under-subscription.
Many of my friends have told me they would love to see similar programs in their departments. How many government majors wouldn't jump at the chance to engage with an emerging scholar in the field of geopolitics or national security and militarism? How many environmental studies majors wouldn't love to read through "The Skeptical Environmentalist"? Even outside of one's major, the opportunities are endless. Marx does not have to intimidate a math major; with a professor's guidance, even the most difficult concepts can be distilled in an accessible way.
It is wise to note that education is a two-way street. Professors are informed and challenged by new ideas as much as students are, and would therefore benefit from reading groups too. Plus, reading groups are ideal locations for interdisciplinary learning, because there is little to no pressure to have a competitive edge. What better place for a cultural geographer to explore bioethics, or a philosopher to learn more about environmental justice? The College seems to applaud interdisciplinary learning, yet such educational experiences are less common than they should be. Encouraging the simple reading group model could be a step in the right direction.
Even for the obsessive-compulsive, over-scheduled Dartmouth student, joining a reading group is doable. Budgeting your time to allow for an hour of reading and an hour of dinner and discussion is no trouble at all, and the benefits far outweigh the costs. Reading groups present an unrivaled opportunity to get back to curling up with a good book, involving yourself in discussion with your peers and professors, and learning without worrying about your GPA. We're ready to read -- Dartmouth faculty, choose the books!
