Self-Promotion in IR: Necessary?

Dan Nexon had an epic tweetstorm about the need to self-promote yesterday which got many responses.  The basic gist, I believe, is: academic work does not often speak for itself. That once you publish something, there is so much out there that unless you promote it, the work will just disappear.  That self-promotion is necessary. 

As readers of the Semi-Spew could guess, I don't disagree.  I don't think there is a single best way to promote one's work.  I use a portfolio approach (or a shotgun approach), where I try to share my stuff in a variety of ways.  Sure, I tweet and I blog (the twitter conversation sure pooh-poohed blogs, but the Semi-Spew and posts I put up elsewhere certainly get more eyeballs than most academic articles). But I also do conventional media, appear at conferences, give talks, chat folks up.

My list of things I don't do to self-promote is easier to write than the stuff that I do.

1. I don't email blast folks about what I have been doing. 

I don't regard email as a broadcasting system, but as a way to communicate professional and/or personally with individuals and small groups about stuff.  But mostly not self-promotion.  Sure, I do inform some folks about things I am doing via email, but that is mostly chit-chat and not efforts to get folks to read my stuff.

Why seek to share one's stuff?  Fortune and glory, kid, fortune and glory.  Actually, no.  For younger folks, it is about survival--that tenure letters, invitations to workshops and small conferences, networking opportunities all are better if folks know who you are and what you are doing.  For older folks like myself, who have few moves left and no more promotions, it is something else.  For me, as I receive government money for my salary and for my grants, I feel obligated to disseminate my work (many grants require "knowledge mobilization plans).

Most importantly, as a scholar, I feel that it is not enough to "create knowledge" (that high falutin' phrase always triggers me a smidge)--that once one has an idea, part of the job is to share it. With students, with peers, with relevant audiences.  So, it is not just about self-interest but about identity, obligation and norms. It really is in the job title: professor.  To profess means to say or to declare (the online definitions then include "sometimes falsely" which is not supposed to be what professors do). Our job is to learn and then to share what we learn. So, self-promotion is not just about advancing one's career, although that is certainty part of it, but it is also about doing the job.

There is much one can say about this basic challenge--that academic work does not speak for itself--so this conversation will continue.   The one thing I would add is that it is not just about self-promotion but other-promotion.  I don't read as much as I should, but when I find stuff that I like, that impacts me, I do promote it.  Especially, these days, if the work is by folks who are underrepresented.  Hence my lists of best books that often tend to be focused on the contributions of female scholars.

Can there be such a thing as too much self-promotion?  Probably, but the current debate suggests that the bigger problem is too little self-promotion.

NATO and Tillerson from Coast to Coast to Coast

Tomorrow, Friday, March 31st, I am celebrating April Fool's Day early, as I will be talking about NATO and Tillerson and Trump across Canada.  My schedule is below (the west coast folks tend to be taped):

5:45

Toronto--Metro Morning Matt Galloway - Host Twitter (show): @metromorning Twitter (host): @mattgallowaycbc

6:00

Ottawa - Ottawa Morning Robyn Bresnahan - Host Twitter (show): @OttawaMorning

6:10

Thunder Bay - Superior Morning @CBCSuperiorMorn Lisa Laco - Host @morningshowlisa

6:50

Charlottetown - Island Morning Matt Rainnie - Host Twitter: @islandmorning

7:20

Iqaluit Producers:Salome Awa/Lucy Burke/Host: Quavavao Peter

8:00

Prince George / Prince Rupert - Daybreak North Hosts: Russell Bowers (PG) Carolina DeRyk (PR) Twitter handle (show): @daybreaknorth Prince George hosts: Carolina: @rupertsmaven

8:10

Victoria - On The Island Gregor Craigie - Host Twitter: @cbcontheisland @GregorCraigie

8:20

Kelowna - Daybreak South Chris Walker - Host Twitter: @cbckelowna

A Grateful Prof

Yesterday was a pretty amazing day.  First, the local CBC morning radio program talked to me about my book.  The interview was really good as the host, Hallie, did a nice job of building on the pre-interview but in a very natural way.  I was able to talk about the book and link it to recent events.



Then I did the @FPAtakeover tweetup. The second event in the Steve promota-palooza involved getting access to the @FPACarleton twitter account--their idea, not mine--and respond to questions.  I storified it (see the link).  The topics ranged from the book to Iraq/Syria/ISIS to how many Tim Horton's are on Carleton's campus (5).  It seemed to go well and the FPA folks seemed to be delighted.

 And then I had the Author Meets Readers book launch at Irene's pub.  This was very well attended. Karen Schwartz, the Associate Dean of FPA, mc'ed.  The participants were myself, Phil Lagassé of the U of Ottawa, retired LTG Stu Beare, and Ambassador Elissa Golberg.  Stu asked the audience about their ties to the mission, and more than half knew someone who lost "life or limb."  That created a very moving context for the conversation.  Phil took me to task for expecting too much from our politicians, who are only responding to the incentives--that we the public are to blame ultimately.  Elissa criticized the book for repeating some myths about the civilian side of things.  I was quite grateful to all three for taking the book seriously and coming to the event armed with their perspectives.  

I am grateful to the FPA folks for setting up the latter two events and the media relations Carleton for setting up the first event as well as some other stuff.  I said during my intro that FPA at Carleton has given me far more support, encouragement, recognition and assistance than any other Dean's office in my career, and it is not even close.

It was a stimulating day, and it was great to get folks engaged in discussions about the stuff that I have been studying and writing about for years.  Indeed, while I do not intend on writing another book on Afghanistan (two is enough), I may end up doing some more research to fill in some holes.

Thanks to one and all for a great day!

Happy Anniversary, Access to Information Request

Facebook reminded me of some interesting timing--that today is not just the Ottawa book launch of Adapting in the Dust but also the third anniversary of the rejection of my access to information request regarding the lessons learned effort.

The government engaged in a serious effort to figure out what we can learn from the Afghanistan campaign, and then buried it.  Why?  Because learning lessons means admitting mistakes and the previous government would not dare do that.  Yes, the rejection cited advice to cabinet and embarrassing allies, but the Info Commissioner's website makes it clear that one can appeal such grounds.  Alas, the appeal is three year's old.  Perhaps the new government will let not just me but the rest of the government see this document.  I just need to find my old rejection letter before I call up the appeals folks.

Anyhow, this rejection helped to motivate me to write the new book, as I decided that we needed to figure out the lessons and share them if the government was too cowardly to do so.

Hopefully, folks won't mind going through the slush to Irene's Pub at 5:30 for the Author Meets Reader panel--Phil Lagassé (U of Ottawa), Stu Beare (former commander of all Canadian operations) and Elissa Golberg (former Representative of Canada in Kandahar).  

Today's song, despite the snow/rain/slush is:

Other/Self Promotion

Tis a strange moment today where I was taping an ad for Carleton University's Faculty of Public Affairs to promote two events that will promote my new book (have you heard of it?).  Both events are on February 25th.  The first is virtual: I take over the @fpacarleton twitter account and respond to questions from 11:30-1:30.  I am thinking of having this account recommend heaps of raises!  The second event is Author Meets Readers, a panel discussion about the new book with three experts: Phil Lagassé of U of Ottawa, Ambassador Elissa Golberg (who was the senior rep for Canada in Kandahar--the RoCK), and Lt. Gen.  (ret) Stu Beare (former commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command).  This will be at Irene's Pub at 5:30-7.

While I was typing this, one of my former students posted this on facebook:
Oh, and this talk is a day after this one.  So, my Winter Break will be full of talk in Quebec.

UPDATE: The video is now available

Podcasting at CIGI

While I was in Waterloo, I was invited to be on David Welch's Inside the Issues Podcast:


Check it out.  How many more books could I have plugged?

Previewing the Next Book Via Macleans Podcast

I got to do a short interview with John Geddes of Macleans, Canada's Time/Newsweek/USNews magazine (is there a better equivalent?).  Tis now a podcast (see bottom of the page).  He was asking me about Canada's mission in Afghanistan since it officially ended last week with the return of the training mission. 

My answers largely reflect my thoughts after writing my next book, When the Gloves Dropped (yes, a hockey reference), which I am finishing this weekend.  The snow is a good thing for finishing this.  ISA being next week?  Yes and no.  Anyhow, check it out if you want to see where my line of thought is heading, while the book makes it through the publication process.

Oh, and if you have any ideas for cover pics for the book, let me know.

The First Casualty of Book Tour

is blogging.  I spent yesterday flying to Kansas City and then hanging out with the faculty of U of Missouri-Kansas City.  A great bunch of folks and big fans of good beer.  So, no blogging yesterday.   Just a token post this morning before I run off for breakfast and then a busy day of talk, meetings, Q&A in a International Security class, and then KC bbq (I hope). 

So, enjoy the Olympics, our new (and perhaps temporarily) Leno-less world, and so on.

Virtual Book Tour, U of O edition

Here is the video of my talk on the Dave and Steve book at the University of Ottawa:


Why buy the book?  This talk is just a taste of the arguments and barely gets into the cases, which are chock full of goodness.  See the back cover blurbs!

NATO in Afghanistan on Internet Talk Radio

I got the chance to talk about the Dave and Steve book with folks who run Midrats--an internet radio show.  Check it out:

More Military Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Midrats on BlogTalkRadio

I stumbled over the Norwegian story (I should have studied), but I think I found a good rhythm as things went along.  The hosts asked good questions, having read the book and having seen some of the stuff up close.

A fun experience.

New Media Meets Old Media

This afternoon, at 5pm, I will be on an internet radio talk show: Midrats.  Details are here.  It will be at 5pm eastern time.  I have done plenty of radio over the course of my career, but I don't think I have ever been on for an hour, and certainly never have done an internet radio show.  And to do what?  Talk about a book, which is pretty much as old as it gets, in terms of medium of communication. 

So, stop by and listen, you can even ask questions as it is a talk show.  And since it is radio, I don't have to worry about what my hair looks like.  Woot!

Kicking Off the Book Tour

I will be talking about NATO and Afghanistan in a semi-book tour event on Wednesday.  Roland Paris of U of Ottawa and Lt. Gen (ret) Andrew Leslie could not get the book in time to engage it seriously, so we will just chat about the joy of multilateral operations in Afghanistan and maybe

Libya (chapter eight). 

Roland has written much about international intervention.  General Leslie served a long career in the Canadian Forces, including serving as Deputy Commander of ISAF and as Chief of the Army.

So, come on out on Wednesday to the Rainbow Room in the Byward Market  at 6pm for this CIC organized Politics in the Pub event.