ABSTRACT
Many conflicting demands are placed on scholars in the humanities and social sciences these days. Universities are being restructured, curricula and course plans standardized. One of the few metropolitan anthropologists who has a regular media presence is Micaela di Leonardo, who writes for The Nation and is occasionally contacted by mainstream media for comments on various current issues. A number of contrasts can be posited between academic research and journalism, making for an unruly and frustrating relationship. Foremost among these is the contrast pertaining to speed: academic work is slow, while journalism is fast. Media frequently ask academics to contribute, to allow themselves to be interviewed and to furnish journalists with relevant facts. Many academics routinely refuse to cooperate with the media, given the very considerable differences in aims and methods between research and journalism. It can often be appropriate for academics to remain aloof from the media world.
