The first major goal of most applicantsnpursuing an academic career atnB.U. and other universities is to securentenure. The most important criterionnon the tenure track is publication. Butnbeing published in the academic worldnis not necessarily a good indicator ofncompetence for university faculty appointment.nMany scholarly journals arenlittle more than outlets for academicsnwhose work is so marginal as to benotherwise unpublishable. The articlesnpublished there are seldom read bynmore than a handful of people, two ofnwhom include the author and the journal’sneditor.nAnother important aspect of the tenurenprocess is the coUegiality of thencandidate. Mediocrity and liberal bias atnB.U. tend to be self-perpetuating. Thennewcomer who brings fresh ideas or angreater grasp of a subject is likely to benperceived by other faculty members as anthreat. Also, notwithstanding the outspokennconservative image of B.U.’snpresident, the politics of tenure worknagainst those with the courage to be outnof step with the liberal nostrums thatndominate many departments.nAfter a discussion section late in thensemester, one political science teachingnassistant let her hair down with some ofnher students: “Neither Andy (the professor)nnor I can write what we reallynwant to write,” she said. “Some peoplencall me Communist, and that’s okay.nAndy is about to get tenure, and all henneeds is President Silber’s signature. Incannot wait to see how he teaches afternhe receives tenure.”nSilber has been an outspoken critic ofnthe tenure system largely because itnprotects this biased elitism. But, unfortunately,nhis search for new facultynmembers has not clearly reflected ancommitment to long-term excellence.nLocated in the same town as Harvardnand MIT, B.U. is plagued with anninferiority complex. In an attempt tonraise its standing, it has been willing tonpay dearly for fame and publicity. Forninstance, the librarian of special collectionsnspends considerable time and resourcesnto obtain Hollywood memorabOia,nwhich end up in the basementnstorage of the library. Lavish parties arenthrown for invited movie celebrities innhope that they will donate personalnpapers or effects to the university. Justnwhat scholarly purpose all of this servesnis hardly clear to anyone.nThe most puzzling aspect of mynexperience at B.U. was that so many ofnthose tenured professors who are decidedlynnonliberal seemed apathetic aboutnimproving the academic programs ofntheir own university. Establishing a liberalnarts core curriculum has beennstalled for years. Professors whose integ­nNEWFROMnTWAYNEnPUBLISHERSnThenConservativenMovementnPaul Gottfried and Thomas FlemingnAppearing in a crucial presidential electionnyear, this is a timely analysis of onenof the most powerful political and socialnforces in America. It is the first objectivencritical approach to the conservativenmovement, clarifying its ideologies,ngoals, impact, differences with liberalism,nand growth from 1945 to 1987.nQuoting politicans, lobbyists, journalistsnand intellectuals — including Burke,nBuckley, Kirk and many others —nscholars Gottfried and Fleming clearlynoutline the characteristics of conservatism:nan anti-Soviet stance, advocacy ofnunlimited material opportunity, andnexaltation of custom as the protector ofnsocial morality. A significant contributionnof this study is its expose of thenrity in written work I respected seemednreluctant to stand up and be counted onnany issue that would cause disagreementnwith the majority of their colleagues.nSerious students ought not to harbornillusions about academic life. Whilenthere certainly are professors who carenmovement’s fragmentation. In theirnthought-provoking chapter on conservatism’snfuture after Reagan, the authorsnpredict that this fragmentation may benthe movement’s demise.nTable of Contentsn1. Forming a Worldview:nThe Conservatism of the Fiftiesn2. Before and After Goldwater:nConservatism in the Sixtiesn3. Ivory Tower/Ivory Gate:nThe Conservative Mind on Campusn4. Revolt of the Intellectuals:nThe Neo conservativesn5. Populist Rebellion: The New Rightn6. Postscript: Reagan and BeyondnBibliographic EssaynIndexnFeb. 1988 S’/z x 8’/2 160 pp.n0-8057-9723-8 Cloth S 18.95n0-8057-9724-6 Paper $ 7.95nDYes , please send me The Conservative Movement by Paul Gottfried andnThomas Fleming at $18.95 Cloth (ISBN 797238) or $7.95 Paper (ISBN 797246)nYou must enclose payment with order. Total enclosed $nPayment Method: a Check enclosed (payable to C. K. Hall) D Visa D MC D AmExnCard# Exp. DatenSignature.nNamenAddress.nCity_ . State. Zip.nSend to: Twayne Publishers (A division of G. K. Hall)n70 Lincoln St. • Boston, MA 02111 or call TOLL-FREE 1-800-343-2806nnnSEPTEMBER 1988/43n