Literary studies, then and now

At long last there is widespread talk of a crisis in literary studies, and yet in a kind of displacement the hand-wringing is directed not to the real problem, but to one of its side effects--that there are almost no college teaching jobs available for new Ph.D.s. The college literature establishment professes sympathy for its hapless graduate students, but is not prepared to do the one thing that might help t h e m - -and that is, to think again about the mix of identity politics and postmodern dogma that has made English and related d e p a r t m e n t s intellectually uncompetitive. The anti-affirmative action forces, and the dilemma of African-Americans and other minorities against affirmative action will be seriously addressed. Some attention will be paid to Justice Clarence Thomas and Mr. Ward Connerly, two major figures against affirmative action.