Arrogantly, we propose to tell aspiring Ph.D. students that we know so much about the job market that we will deny them the right to pursue a graduate degree in the field they are passionate about. The trend, which has emerged over the last several years, is particularly marked in the social sciences, the humanities, and the arts. Something is very wrong with this picture.
Academics often engage in policy conversations from too narrow a perspective.
If we note a shortage of good academic jobs for our Ph.D. graduates in various fields, we feel bad because those graduates have difficulty finding jobs like our own. We do not ask whether the world needs or wants more people just like us. Moreover, we refuse to admit that we cannot actually do anything about the job market, because it responds to economic forces beyond our control. I don't know if we're kidding our students, but we're certainly kidding ourselves. Trying to influence the market for those doctoral students who will be applying for junior faculty positions seven years from now won't help today's new Ph.D.'s.