Everyone has shorter budgets, yet other sections are doing well and growing. No, it is the issues, and our lack of them.
Gender is about peoples lives, and it thrives, as does medical, organizations, and other sessions.
Ancient, and art, history have a place in abstracted scholarly discourse, yes, but so does the real world, and of that we say little these days that is not said better by someone else. One can put all the blame on wants on outside factors, but the central fact is still that we have lost the vision of focusing upon the injustice, pain, poverty, and underdevelopment of most of the world's peoples in the thrid world, and with that have lost those who thought we had a new vision. I understand your feeling about Wagar's utopian novel, but I remain firm in feeling that for a research profession to use half of its alloted sessions on fantasy politics about the 21st century in the face of falling numbers in PEWS and real issues not addressed, is irresponsible at the least, and terribley indulgent by the powers that be in this sectionthat priortized that over sessions dealing with real issues.