Academic Rants

More of the Same Let's start with some quick questions! How many Americans do you think have ever been to the American border? Have they been to the northern or southern border and in what states? How would they describe the border? Wouldn't they want the president to visit the border before making a speech about building a wall? I thought about the border in anticipation of the president's speech. Candidate Trump called for a wall along the nation's southern border and I often wondered how many of those attending his rallies had ever seen the southern border, knew of the people who lived on either side, knew of the existing fortifications on the border, and if they considered the challenges of building a two-thousand mile concrete wall along waterways, mountains, grasslands, desert, and personal property? How much would such a wall cost and how long would it take to build? In fact, I wondered if Mr. Trump really considered the logistical nightmare that he constant...

--> Déjà vu? An example for teaching students a more problem based version of history, using documents and critical thinking skills can be seen in the history of American transportation. And for this example, I will focus on the American Railroad.   I won’t spell out an entire lesson plan, but will present some of the key aspects of the session. The “Transportation Revolution” that spurred the development of our railroads, canals, and shipping industry, began in the 1830s. It was a result of foreign investment and a strong willingness to take a risk. Many of the ventures that characterized the era were supported by tremendous financial investment and scientific and industrial genius.   Countless inventions and ideas had short shelf lives, but the essence of most of our transportation systems, are a product of this era. By 1869, America had built its transcontinental railroad.   And during the early 20 th century the great names in American railroad...

Throughout the nation, planners are suggesting that the American cities of the future will be walkable and innovative. Designs for these future cities highlight people living in harmony with nature and usable transportation systems.  Yet here in the present, things are moving slowly. On one hand cities like Newark and Flint do not have drinkable water, Detroit is recovering from a bankruptcy, and an algae epidemic is affecting Florida’s coastal areas. There are proposals in Atlanta and New York City to turn rail-yards into parks, and create more vibrant neighborhoods. Innovators like Elon Musk, Google, and others are engaged in creating driver-less cars, entrepreneurs are developing high-speed train systems in Florida, Texas and California, and others point out that a hyper loop tunnel might just be the solution to long distance transportation.  Manufacturers, including GM, Ford and Nissan, believe that American consumers need space and are dangling SUVs as an alternative t...