Roland Boer's Blog, page 94

Indiana Jones Meets Raphael Golb

I must admit I'm waiting for the film. No doubt most of you have heard about the arrest of Raphael Golb for identity theft, criminal impersonation, forgery and aggravated harassment (one report is here but you should check out here too).

Apparently, Raphael went to work defending daddy, Norman Golb, who controversially argues that the Dead Sea Scrolls were not written by a sectarian group like the Essenes at all but gathered from elsewhere and dumped in the caves. Norm is, well, a little feisty a

Enough to freeze your balls off (should you have them)

I've got to tell you about this story. For my current research I've moved via the Pacific and Arctic Oceans to the Southern Ocean. Out of the 'heroic age' there's this story of Ernest Shackleton. It's called the 'heroic age' since stupid men set out to prove how manly they were with nothing better than Boy Scout equipment.

Shackleton's voyage was pure madness. This was the voyage of the James Caird, described as 'one of the great boat journeys ever accomplished'. In an open whale boat no more tha

Columbus's Special Gift to Europe

I gave been writing a bunch of articles on seafaring, both ancient and modern, for a collection called Maritimea. Slightly new area, I know, but it does allow me to indulge my love of ships.

In my research I came across this juicy piece of information. When the deluded Columbus finally returned to Lisbon in March, 1493, be brought a number of things with him. There was the news of having discovered 'Asia', the indigenous people from Espanola (most of whom had died on the voyage back), as well as

More on Political Myth

Now that Political Myth is out, I thought I would retreive a few comments I first wrote in December - revised (which really means shortened).

It was fun to write, since I did so in the icy north, in Greenland, partly on a ship north of the Arctic Circle - the icebreaker Sarfak Ittuq which crunched its way through pack ice and dodged icebergs.

The book has a go at some theory: via the likes of Adorno, Lacan, Badiou and a bunch of others I work up of theory of political myth that should bamboozle mo

Here comes Political Myth

It's out, and you can get it straight from Duke Press for the paltry sum of $22.95. To top it off, they are very nice people at Duke Press - they even published my book.

Why I am Against Tenure

Tenure is usually regarded as the best protection for academic freedom. Once you have tenure in a university or college you are able, or so the theory goes, to express controversial views without hindrance, fear of dismissal, or harassment by the powers that be. No matter what you write or say, you’ll still have a job. Now we all know that bomb-proof protection is a fiction, since there is always at least one item that can cancel tenure – high treason comes to mind and I am sure you can add othe

USA to invade Italy

You have to see this footage on American knowledge of the big world out there at Missives From Marx. I think the best bits are: 'What country should we invade next?' Answers: Italy and France! And, 'Name three countries in the Axis of Evil?' Answer: California, New York, and Florida!!!

On Academic Freedom and Tenure

I have always been suspicious about claims to academic freedom and tenure, but the recent case of Gerd Luedemann in Göttingen has raised them again and there is plenty of discussion over in James Crossley's blog as well as Tom Verenna's. Luedemann was blocked from teaching New Testament to candidates for ministry at the university since he had concluded that the truth claims of Christianity were rubbish. In short, he had become an atheist. In response, there was much talk about academic freedom

A Bunch of Complete Wankers

I had a thoroughly enjoyable last couple of days at the 'States of Belief' conference in Sydney. The highlight was a Mandaean dude from the University of the Emirates. Here was a live gnostic, dressed in pure white (with even a white golf cap and shoes) putting up these images of wierd and wonderful trees, systematic diagrams of their mythology and great shit like that.



All the same he wasn't the wanker. Actually they weren't there, thankfully, but I discussed them at length Diego Bobbio. The wa

Marxism and Religion: A Brief Guide

Some of you have asked me for some pointers to Marxism and religion. It’s broad, vast, bewildering – as you would expect. But let’s see if I can't offer a roadmap.

1. Opium.

OK, you’ve probably heard or read the famous phrase: ‘religion is the opium of the people’. Usually we think of opium in a negative way, as a narcotic. But a funny thing happened on the way to the medicine cabinet … In the 19th century, opium was regarded as a widespread cure for just about anything. Marx took it regularly, al