I tried to focus on the good things this week. It was not easy. On Monday I got a note in the very early morning, full of typos; the person who wrote it was obviously very angry and affected. The tone of the email was very demanding. The sender told me that he checked my website at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Melanie-Schmoll and figured out that I mentioned a book I wrote for his institution. He told me that I have to stop mentioning the book immediately and I am not allowed to tell my readers about. Also, he feared (for reasons I do not understand), that I would send out parts of the book, the total book or chapters to people who might request a full text copy.
I felt offended by his email for different reasons: First of all, he could have simply call me by phone. Obviously, he did not know the academic procedure to mention works before they are published to let the community know about. Or he did not know the English term “forthcoming” I used, in any case he could simply have ask me before writing such a letter. Secondly, he implied I would send out texts to which I do not have the rights on. Certainly, I would never ever do so! I do commissioned work and I am absolutely loyal to my customer. Thirdly, I felt personally attacked because I did not understand why he assumed I would not follow the contract I signed, correct academic behavior or good scientific practice.
I answered even before I was really awake and explained that “forthcoming” means, that the book will be published soon and that I certainly won´t send out anything. Never ever. I than asked him why he thinks I would do so, since my work so far was absolutely correct and I never violated our contract. I explained to him that such a behavior (to send out parts of texts etc.) is totally against my work ethos and my personality. I felt assaulted by his imputation. I also told him that mentioning his institution is just advertisement for.
He wrote back. He then told me I am certainly allowed to mention the institution and that he is thankful for any advertisement. And that I misunderstood him and his intention. I did not. The intention of his mail was absolutely clear. And if he would have read my statement on this website under the topic “about” – he would have known in advance about the consequences of such a note. My consequences are clear: No more work with the institution and no reference. If someone accuses me of wrong scientific practice… it is a personal affront against my integrity. – So, that was a start of the new week!
I then got a refusal of a funding I applied for, also no mood-lifting effect. At least two publishers seem to be interested in publishing my study. I will have to clarify some details before sending out my study, because my experiences in the past were not the best. It happened to me three times (!) that people have stolen my intellectual properties. I won´t make that mistake again!
On top: Lots of email conversations about new opportunities – same here: If these guys would have read my website properly and my statements, they would have known…I do not pay for getting published, I get paid for! Volunteering does not pay my bills. And I do not accept that I have to work without getting paid if all the others earn money with their work. In Germany there seems to be the idea that academic work, Wissenschaft, simply creates knowledge (it is the literally translation of the term), free of charge. That is not the case! Our work as academics needs to be paid, it is a question of appreciation. No one would tell a painter, that he does not get paid because he likes painting so much and therefore can do the painting without salary. Same here: Why should I am not getting paid? Because I love history so much? Because I feel flattered to see my name on a book cover? It is absurd.
Also, I gave a training to my author about how to write a video script, she just sent the first one. I will check it once I finished my blog. I also send out the last changes on a chapter dealing with content for the new Hamburg curriculum in fall. I hope this will be published soon, too. Additionally, I started to work on my power point presentation for my talk next Sunday. I was also asked to do a new study, I will explain more, once this is fix.
And there was again so much hatred especially on campuses of universities and in academia https://news.rub.de/wissenschaft/2024-04-24-interview-antisemitismus-der-akademischen-welt . It is so hard to believe! People are not able to work beause they are who they are. It is unacceptable!
I would like to finish with a quote from Jonathan Sacks, since this was the week of the festival of freedom.
Freedom is won not on the battlefield but in the classroom and the home. Teach your children the history of freedom if you want them never to lose it.