The Janus Paradigm [Hardcover]

Franklin J. Himes (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0761810919 | ISBN-13: 978-0761810919 | Publication Date: June 11, 1998 | Edition: 1

An increasing skepticism toward the value of academic theater, argues Franklin J. Himes, is threatening the dramatic arts' continuation as an independent discipline. The Janus Paradigm presents a gateway through which American academic theater and theater-derived media may enter upon a more socially vital course of training to meet the socio-economic demands of the 21st century. Himes reviews some formative ideologies and trends in the liberal arts and American theater education. He then explains the Janus paradigm, with its framework of six aspects and fourteen expectancies which support a cooperative system of interdisciplinary theory and coordinated practice. Himes applies the model to a sampling of textbooks in theater, film, and performance studies, and he discusses its potential impact on administrative structures, faculty values and attitudes, the production program, and curriculum design.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Franklin J. Himes earned his Ph.D in Theater and Directing from Bowling Green State University.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

"Looking back at that massacre of genius, the wise onlookers of 1900 were horrified to see gifted artists falling down, clubbed by a collection of men of talent. So lovers of genius were either very grave, or became hysterical, when face to face with any personages selected by the Gods to be victims of the next massacre." --Edward Gordon Craig, 1904

[...]

"The essential work of the 1990s is the validation of strategies that will enable the learner to develop social character through a genuine desire to apply instructional information to personal goals rather than merely memorize material to meet the prerequisites for a good grade. Obviously, any number of logical factors can be found to highlight the advantages of such strategies.

Notwithstanding, one of the more significant factors that should be acknowledged is the growing body of evidence which indicates that, in the classroom, students are able to perform at a satisfactorily level without understanding the material. Therefore, in the words of Thomas L. Good, professor of curriculum and instruction at the University of Missouri, it is time to begin research to explore how to help students develop the motivation for understanding and for integrating significant bodies of content' (Belenky 228; 33)."

[...]

"How will a student find the time needed for practicum plus the number of courses that would be required in an interdisciplinary

program of liberal arts-vocational study? And how does one go about integrating general education into a non-traditional system? The answer is through the coordinated use of layered instruction.

For example, from the preceding chapter, take Angela Dalle Vacche's illustration of the purpose of a close-up which employed the still life painting by Francisco de Zurbarn. Think of that example as an excerpt from an integrated course focused upon the screen director as painter. Here, taught concurrently with the study of painting styles, could be the responsibilities of the screen director, camera operation and technique, and editing to be experientially realized through the taping and editing of an ongoing production."

[...]

"As was pointed out in Chapter One, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the City University of New York warned in 1995, that colleges and universities 'need new paradigms of institutional excellence' which will enable them to develop better programs geared toward teaching and learning 'rather than the scholarly output of their faculties' (Freeland 162).

That same year, professor and author Thomas F. Greene noted that faculty 'who teach undergraduates advance in rank, not on the basis of their competence in teaching, but on the basis of their contributions to knowledge through published research. And that is why university teaching is the only profession in which you can become a success without satisfying the client' (11)."

Product Details

• Hardcover: 191 pages
• Publisher: University Press Of America; 1 edition (June 11, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761810919
• ISBN-13: 978-0761810919
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,706,094 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars I sincerely like this book., December 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Janus Paradigm (Hardcover)

I sincerely like this book. I first picked it up mainly out of a curiosity over what was meant by the " massacre of genius." I discovered that the author defines genius as a special wisdom that we all have but because of the dominance of Western objectivism, it is rarely explored. The fact that the Dramatic Arts were used as the model for Hime's theories was also interesting. I have heard college and university theatre students complain about many of the very things he explains in this book. For example, the writer brings out the fact that university theatre needs to be a laboratory where students are told that their mistakes are merely a part of their growth and not a reflection on their ability and that the Dramatic Arts must become a course of study where students are led to discover the extent of their abilities and desire as well as receive a general education through, what he calls, "layered instruction." Because this kind of training is rarely, if ever, being done, the full intellectual and creative potential of the vast majority of students is being "massacred." What I found particularly interesting was the author's dual emphasis upon student and faculty self-discovery and interdisciplinary collaboration. I liked the way he used established scholars to substantiate his theories, which if he had not, much of the surprising information he has uncovered would be hard to believe. I am amazed at why it's so difficult for dedicated educators to put into effect student-centered programs. It was frustrating at first when I found that I had to read this book slowly, a little bit at a time, in order to digest the information. The author doesn't present his concepts in a simple fashion which makes this book a challenge to read. But, the author states that a paradigm is suppose to stimulate thought and not dictate solutions. And so, I had to form my own beliefs about what I was reading. It reminded me of the book, HOW WE THINK by John Dewey. In my opinion, the writer of THE JANUS PARADIGM has a similar enigmatic style and thought provoking outlook about the development of higher education since 1950 and where it's heading in the next century as Dewey did about the twentieth century. Dan Beutner, professional educator

5.0 out of 5 stars This book kicks butt!!!, December 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Janus Paradigm (Hardcover)

This book kicks butt! Finally somebody wrote a book who understands what students are going through. Dr. Himes writes about the things that too many professors are afraid to discuss. He even brings out that fact-- explains why, and offers solutions about how the faculty and administration can improvethe current situation and lack of understanding. This guy recognizes the fact that we are paying a lot more for our education and so deserve more attention and time from professors. We are not paying all this money to support their research-we want to learn directly from them and we want them to give us the time we are paying for instead of spending most of it on their own publications for advancement. There's a lot of real great ideas in this book that people who run colleges and work in them should pay attention to and even give them a try. I recommend this book to college students too! It's helped me realize what to look for in a class or professor and know more about what is right and wrong with how I am being given the grades that will affect my whole life. The book could be used as an awesome discussion focus between students and teachers. What's also cool, I thought, is that it's written like a reference book so I could read about I was interested in at the time and not have to read everything to get the important stuff. We need more books like this one.

3.0 out of 5 stars For those interested in improving performing arts educatioan, November 18, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Hot Springs, Arkansas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Janus Paradigm (Hardcover)

For those interested in the current state of liberal arts and the performing arts among institutions of higher learning, this is a book worth adding to one's library.The section of the book dealing with the political and corporate influence on higher education during the post WWII period make intere4sting reading, although one may question the conclusions the author has drawn. The author is an excellent writer and has important things to say. The book, however, is highly derivative and thus it is difficult to separate his voice from all the quotes and references. Dr. Himes' views could provide an important contribution ti the refining and improvement of the Performing Arts curriculum of US colleges and universities. .