Chapter 17: The Public Intellectual in Archaeobytology

Opening: The Scholar in the Arena

In 2012, Rebecca Solnit wrote an essay called "Men Explain Things to Me" for Guernica magazine. It went viral, spawning the term "mansplaining" and igniting conversations about gender, power, and communication. The essay was accessible, sharp, and personal—nothing like an academic paper.

Solnit is a scholar (cultural historian, essayist). But she's also a public intellectual—someone who translates complex ideas into public discourse, influencing not just academics but millions of readers, activists, and policymakers.

Archaeobytology needs public intellectuals. Here's why:

The Problem:

• Academic papers reach 10-100 scholars

• Platform shutdowns affect millions of people

• Policy changes require public pressure

• Discipline legitimacy requires public visibility

The Gap:

• Most scholars write for other scholars (jargon-heavy, peer-reviewed journals)

• Most activists write for activists (insider language, assumed context)

• The public—voters, users, journalists, politicians—gets neither

The Opportunity: If Archaeobytologists can translate our research into op-eds, podcasts, testimony, and books, we can:

• Influence policy (right to archive, platform accountability, data portability)

• Shape culture (make "digital sovereignty" a household concept)

• Build legitimacy (public intellectuals make disciplines real)

• Recruit talent (students discover Archaeobytology through public writing)

This chapter teaches you how to become a public intellectual—not instead of being a scholar, but in addition to it. You'll learn:

• How to write for different audiences (academic, practitioner, policy, public)

• How to engage with media (op-eds, podcasts, TV)

• How to build a platform (blog, newsletter, social media)

• How to influence policy (testimony, whitepapers, advocacy)

• How to balance public work with academic expectations (tenure, credibility)

By the end, you'll have a 5-year strategy for translating your Archaeobytology work into public impact.

Part I: The Five Skills of Public Intellectuals

Skill 1: Writing for Different Audiences

Academic writing has its place. But to reach the public, you must write differently.

Audience Matrix

Translation Exercise: One Idea, Five Audiences

Academic Version (for Journal of Archaeobytology):

"The phenomenon of platform-mediated digital mortality—wherein corporate entities terminate hosting infrastructure, resulting in the permanent deletion of user-generated content—represents a novel form of cultural erasure distinct from traditional archival loss. Unlike material artifacts, which decay gradually and leave archaeological traces, digital artifacts experience catastrophic failure: the transition from accessibility to permanent inaccessibility occurs instantaneously upon server decommission."

Practitioner Version (for Library Journal):

"When platforms shut down, libraries face a new challenge: digital content doesn't decay slowly like books—it vanishes overnight. This 'platform death' requires proactive archiving strategies. Librarians must scrape endangered platforms before shutdown, not wait for donation of already-lost materials."

Policy Version (for Congressional brief):

"Platform shutdowns have deleted billions of cultural artifacts, including historical documentation of social movements, journalism, and community organizing. Recommendation: Mandate 90-day notice for platform shutdowns + require user data export in open formats. Cost to industry: minimal. Benefit to cultural preservation: substantial."

Public Version (for New York Times op-ed):

"When GeoCities died in 2009, 30 million websites vanished overnight. Your teenage homepage. Your friend's memorial site. An entire era of internet culture—murdered by Yahoo with three weeks' notice. This wasn't obsolescence. It was execution. And it keeps happening."

Social Media Version (Twitter thread):

"🧵 Why do our digital memories keep disappearing?

1/ When GeoCities shut down in 2009, 30M websites died in one day

2/ Not because of technical failure—but because Yahoo decided they weren't profitable

3/ This is 'platform murder'—and it's accelerating

[Thread continues with solutions, call to action]"

Writing Rules by Audience

For Academics:

• Engage with literature (cite extensively)

• Be precise, even if verbose

• Caveat everything (acknowledge limitations)

• Original data/methods required

For Practitioners:

• Lead with the problem (they need solutions)

• Provide actionable steps (checklists, workflows)

• Use real examples (case studies they recognize)

• Skip theory unless it improves practice

For Policymakers:

• Executive summary first (they won't read past page 1 if not hooked)

• Use numbers (cost-benefit, impact metrics)

• Clear recommendations (numbered list, specific actions)

• Bipartisan framing ("preserving culture" not "regulating tech")

For Public:

• Start with story (not theory)

• Use everyday language (no jargon)

• Make it urgent (why should reader care now?)

• End with action (what can they do?)

For Social Media:

• Hook in first sentence (make them click "read more")

• One idea per post (don't pack in everything)

• Visual anchors (images, charts, GIFs)

• Invite engagement (ask questions, request replies)

Skill 2: Media Engagement

Journalists are megaphones. If you can work with them, your ideas reach millions.

Types of Media Engagement

1. Reactive Commentary (Breaking News)

• Journalist needs expert quote on breaking story

• Example: "Twitter announces shutdown—expert comments?"

• Timeline: Hours (respond same day or lose opportunity)

• Format: 2-3 quotable sentences

• How to prepare: Monitor news, respond quickly, have pre-written points

2. Feature Interviews

• Journalist writing longer piece, interviews you as expert

• Example: Wired feature on digital preservation

• Timeline: Days to weeks

• Format: 30-60 min interview, journalist selects quotes

• How to prepare: Provide stories, data, concrete examples; offer to connect them with other sources

3. Op-Ed Pitching

• You write opinion piece, pitch to publication

• Example: "Why Platform Shutdowns Are Cultural Violence" for The Atlantic

• Timeline: Write first, pitch immediately after news hook

• Format: 800-1,200 words, strong argument

• How to prepare: Study publication's style, find news hook, pitch editor with strong lede

4. Podcast Appearances

• Interview on podcast (30-90 min conversation)

• Example: Reply All, On The Media, The Ezra Klein Show

• Timeline: Book weeks in advance, record for hour, edited to 30-45 min

• Format: Conversational, tell stories, explain concepts

• How to prepare: Listen to past episodes, prepare 3-5 key points, practice telling stories

5. TV/Video

• News segments, documentaries

• Example: CNN interview on platform accountability

• Timeline: Often last-minute (breaking news) or months (documentaries)

• Format: 3-5 min segments (TV), longer (documentaries)

• How to prepare: Master the sound bite (7-10 second quotable points), dress professionally, speak in complete sentences (no "um," "like")

Building Media Relationships

Create a Media Kit:

• Bio: 2-3 sentences (who you are, your expertise)

• Headshot: Professional photo (300dpi)

• Expertise list: Topics you can speak on (bullet points)

• Past media: Links to previous interviews, op-eds

• Contact: Email, phone (make it easy for journalists to reach you)

Be Responsive:

• Journalists have tight deadlines (hours, not days)

• If you can't respond immediately, refer them to colleague who can

• Reply even if you can't help ("I don't know this, but Dr. X does—here's their email")

Offer More Than Asked:

• Journalist asks for quote → offer to send data, visuals, or other expert contacts

• Journalist asks about X → mention related angle Y they might not have considered

• Build reputation as helpful source (they'll come back)

Pitch Proactively:

• Don't wait to be asked—pitch ideas to journalists

• Example: "Hi [Journalist], I follow your tech coverage. I have data on platform shutdowns that might interest you for a feature. Would you like to see the findings?"

• Target journalists who cover your beat (study their past work)

Case Study: Safiya Noble's Media Strategy

Background: Safiya Noble is a scholar (USC professor) who wrote Algorithms of Oppression (2018) about racist search engine results.

Media Trajectory:

1. Academic foundation: Published peer-reviewed research

2. Public book: Translated research into accessible book (Algorithms of Oppression)

3. Op-eds: Wrote for The Guardian, The Washington Post connecting research to breaking news

4. Congressional testimony: Invited to testify on algorithmic bias (2019)

5. Documentary appearances: Featured in Coded Bias film

6. Mainstream visibility: CNN, NPR, New York Times interview her as go-to expert

Timeline: 10+ years from first research to mainstream recognition

Strategy:

• Built academic credibility first (peer review, tenure)

• Wrote accessible book (not just articles)

• Seized news hooks (Google autocomplete scandals)

• Cultivated journalist relationships (responded quickly, provided data)

Result: Policy impact (companies changed algorithms), cultural shift ("algorithmic bias" entered public discourse), discipline building (helped establish field).

Skill 3: Public Speaking

Speaking is different from writing. You must hold attention, adapt in real-time, and connect emotionally.

Speaking Venues for Archaeobytologists

1. Academic Conferences

• Format: 20-min paper + Q&A

• Audience: Scholars (knowledgeable, critical)

• Goal: Advance knowledge, get feedback, network

• Style: Formal, data-driven, lit review

2. Industry Keynotes

• Format: 30-45 min talk (TEDx-style)

• Audience: Practitioners (want actionable insights)

• Goal: Inspire, provide frameworks, establish authority

• Style: Story-driven, visual slides, "takeaways"

3. TED/TEDx Talks

• Format: 18 min max, memorized, no notes

• Audience: General public (curious, diverse backgrounds)

• Goal: Spread one big idea, go viral

• Style: Narrative arc, emotional connection, no jargon

4. Policy Hearings/Testimony

• Format: 5 min prepared statement + Q&A

• Audience: Legislators, staffers (busy, need summaries)

• Goal: Inform policy, establish credibility

• Style: Evidence-based, clear recommendations, respectful

5. Public Lectures

• Format: 45-60 min + Q&A

• Audience: General public (educated, interested)

• Goal: Educate, provoke thought, recruit allies

• Style: Accessible but substantive, Q&A is crucial

6. Podcasts (Interviewed)

• Format: 45-90 min conversation

• Audience: Niche (listeners of that podcast)

• Goal: Deep dive, build following, humanize research

• Style: Conversational, tell stories, be yourself

The Rule of Three

People remember three things from a talk. No more. Design around this.

Bad Talk Structure: "I'll discuss 7 dimensions of platform death, 12 preservation methods, and 15 policy recommendations."

Good Talk Structure: "Three reasons platforms murder culture:

1. Profit (you're not profitable anymore)

2. Control (you're not controllable anymore)

3. Liability (you're a legal risk now)

And three things we can do:

1. Archive (save it before it dies)

2. Build alternatives (so we're not hostage)

3. Legislate (make murder harder)"

Audience remembers: Profit/Control/Liability + Archive/Build/Legislate

Speaking Best Practices

1. Start with Story, Not Theory

• Bad: "Today I'll discuss the theoretical framework of platform mortality."

• Good: "In 2009, my childhood GeoCities page vanished overnight. Yahoo deleted 30 million websites with three weeks' notice. This is why..."

2. Show, Don't Tell

• Don't describe a GeoCities page—show a screenshot

• Don't explain "platform murder"—play a video of deleted content

• Visuals > words

3. Practice Out Loud

• Reading your talk silently ≠ speaking it

• Record yourself, listen back, identify awkward phrasing

• Time yourself (audiences hate talks that run over)

4. Prepare for Q&A

• Anticipate hostile questions ("Isn't this just nostalgia for old tech?")

• Have 2-3 prepared answers to predictable questions

• It's okay to say "I don't know" (better than bullshitting)

5. Make It Interactive

• Ask audience questions ("How many of you have lost digital content to platform shutdowns?")

• Invite participation ("Turn to the person next to you and discuss...")

• Q&A should be dialogue, not interrogation

Skill 4: Platform Building

Public intellectuals need platforms—ways to reach audiences directly, not mediated by institutions or publications.

Platform Options

Cory Doctorow's "Pluralistic" Model (Gold Standard)

What He Does:

• Daily blog post (1,000-3,000 words)

• Cross-posts to:

  • His blog (pluralistic.net—he owns domain)

  • Twitter (threaded)

  • Mastodon (federated, sovereignty!)

  • Tumblr (visual platform)

• Weekly newsletter compiling week's posts

Why It Works:

• Consistency: Daily output builds audience

• Sovereignty: Owns domain (pluralistic.net), so if platforms die, content persists

• Reach: Cross-posting gets content to multiple audiences

• Redundancy: If one platform bans him, others remain

Result: 100,000+ readers, major influence on tech policy (cited in EU Digital Markets Act), financially sustainable (book deals, speaking fees), didn't require institutional backing.

Lessons:

1. Own your domain (yourname.com → foundation of platform)

2. Consistency > volume (daily 1,000 words > weekly 7,000 words)

3. Cross-post strategically (reach people where they are, but keep original on your site)

4. Build email list (social media can ban you; email is yours)

Building Your Platform: 5-Year Plan

Year 1: Establish Foundation

• Register domain (yourname.com)

• Set up blog (WordPress, Ghost, or static site)

• Commit to frequency (weekly is realistic for most academics)

• Topics: Your research, accessible explanations, responses to news

Year 2: Grow Audience (0 → 1,000 readers)

• SEO optimization (write about topics people search for)

• Guest post on established sites (borrow audiences)

• Engage on social media (share your posts, comment on others')

• Email list: Offer newsletter signup (target: 100 subscribers by year end)

Year 3: Diversify Platforms (1,000 → 5,000 readers)

• Add second platform (newsletter, podcast, or video)

• Cross-promote (blog readers → newsletter subscribers)

• Collaborate (interview other experts, be interviewed)

• Speaking: Accept invitations, build reputation

Year 4: Establish Authority (5,000 → 10,000+ readers)

• Publish book (grows credibility, reaches new audiences)

• Media appearances (journalists find you via blog, invite you for quotes)

• Keynote speeches (paid speaking opportunities)

• Consider monetization (Patreon, paid newsletter tier, consulting)

Year 5: Sustainable Impact (10,000+ readers)

• Platform is established (people know your name)

• Media regularly quotes you (go-to expert)

• Policy influence (testimony, advisory roles)

• Can support yourself partly/fully from platform (if desired)

Reality Check:

• Not everyone reaches 10,000 readers (that's okay!)

• Even 500 engaged readers = influence (if they're decision-makers, journalists, other scholars)

• Platform building is long game (think years, not months)

Skill 5: Policy Influence

Archaeobytologists should shape laws, not just study what laws allow.

Mechanisms of Policy Influence

1. White Papers

• What: Research-based policy recommendations (10-30 pages)

• When: Before legislation is drafted (shape the conversation)

• Example: "A Framework for Right to Archive Legislation"

• Audience: Policymakers, staffers, advocacy organizations

2. Congressional/Parliamentary Testimony

• What: Invited to speak at hearing (5 min prepared statement + Q&A)

• When: When lawmakers are considering relevant legislation

• Example: Testifying on platform accountability bill

• Impact: Your testimony becomes part of legislative record

3. Op-Eds in Policy Context

• What: Opinion piece in major paper, timed to legislative debate

• When: During policy windows (bill being considered, scandal breaking)

• Example: "Why Congress Must Mandate Data Portability" in Washington Post

• Impact: Lawmakers read these; staffers send them to bosses

4. Coalition Letters

• What: Open letter signed by experts, organizations

• When: Supporting or opposing specific legislation

• Example: "100 Scholars Call for Right to Archive Law"

• Impact: Shows consensus, makes lawmakers pay attention

5. Informal Briefings

• What: Meeting with staffers to explain complex issues

• When: Ongoing (build relationships, offer expertise)

• Example: "Lunch briefing on digital preservation challenges"

• Impact: Staff learn from you, remember you when drafting bills

6. Model Legislation

• What: Draft actual legal language for lawmakers to introduce

• When: When you have clear policy prescription

• Example: "Digital Right of First Refusal Act" (model bill)

• Impact: Makes it easy for lawmakers (they can introduce your bill verbatim)

Building Policy Influence: The Pathway

Phase 1: Establish Legitimacy (Years 1-2)

• Publish research (peer-reviewed, credible)

• Build public profile (op-eds, speaking)

• Join relevant organizations (EFF, ALA, advocacy groups)

Phase 2: Get on the Radar (Years 2-4)

• Write white papers (circulate to policy orgs)

• Testify at state/local hearings (build testimony experience)

• Op-eds when relevant bills are debated

• Meet staffers (offer expertise, don't demand anything)

Phase 3: Direct Influence (Years 4-10)

• Congressional testimony (federal level)

• Draft model legislation (with advocacy partners)

• Join advisory boards (FCC, FTC, Library of Congress)

• International work (WIPO, UNESCO, EU)

Case Study: Brewster Kahle's Policy Strategy

Background: Founder of Internet Archive (1996)

Policy Trajectory:

1. Built credibility: Internet Archive became indispensable resource (billions of archived pages)

2. Legal advocacy: Fought for library lending rights (controlled digital lending)

3. Coalition building: Partnered with libraries, scholars, advocacy groups

4. Public visibility: TED talks, interviews, positioned as "librarian of the internet"

5. Direct testimony: Testified before Congress on copyright, preservation, access

6. Model proposals: Advanced proposals like "Digital Public Library of America"

Impact:

• Internet Archive's practices influenced copyright policy debates

• Positioned digital preservation as public interest (not just technical hobby)

• Made "universal access to knowledge" a mainstream policy goal

Lessons:

• Build something valuable first (gives you standing)

• Frame issues broadly (public interest, not narrow technical concerns)

• Partner with established institutions (libraries, universities)

• Play long game (decades of advocacy, not one-off campaigns)

Part II: Balancing Public and Academic Work

The Tenure Trap

The Problem:

• Tenure committees value peer-reviewed articles (op-eds don't count)

• Public work takes time away from research (opportunity cost)

• Some academics view public intellectuals as "popularizers" (not serious scholars)

The Risk:

• Pre-tenure faculty write op-eds → denied tenure ("didn't publish enough")

• Public visibility threatens academic credibility ("too political," "not rigorous")

The Reality: This is changing. Slowly. Some fields now value "public scholarship" (especially in humanities). But risk remains.

Strategies for Pre-Tenure Faculty

1. Prioritize Peer Review First

• Get articles published in top journals (establish academic credentials)

• Public work is supplement, not substitute

• Rule of thumb: 1 public piece for every 2 academic articles

2. Frame Public Work as Impact

• In tenure file, argue that op-eds/testimony demonstrate research impact

• Show citations (your op-ed cited by policymakers, journalists)

• Quantify reach (10,000 readers vs. 100 for academic article)

3. Choose Safe Venues

• Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed (academic-adjacent publications)

• University press trade books (peer-reviewed but accessible)

• Public scholarship journals (Public Historian, Engaging Science, Technology, and Society)

4. Get Support from Senior Colleagues

• Find mentors who value public work

• Ask them to write letters emphasizing importance of engagement

• Form alliances with like-minded faculty

5. Know Your Institution

• R1 universities: Prioritize traditional research (play it safe pre-tenure)

• Teaching-focused colleges: May value public engagement more

• Ask during job interview: "Does this department value public scholarship?"

Post-Tenure Freedom

Once tenured, you have more freedom:

• Public work can't hurt you (job security)

• You've proven academic credibility (can now experiment)

• Platform from tenure gives you authority (journalists want credentialed experts)

Many scholars become public intellectuals after tenure:

• Spend years 1-6 publishing in journals

• Get tenure at year 6-7

• Years 8+ shift toward op-eds, books, testimony

This is a viable path. Play the academic game first, then use that credibility for public impact.

Part III: Five-Year Public Intellectual Strategy

Let's design your personal roadmap.

Your Strategy Canvas

Fill this out to create your plan:

1. Personal Brand (Who Are You?)

Your Niche:

• What's your specific expertise within Archaeobytology?

• Example: "Digital preservation of social movements" or "Platform governance and user rights"

Your Elevator Pitch:

• 2-3 sentences: Who you are, what you study, why it matters

• Example: "I'm an Archaeobytologist studying how platforms murder culture. When GeoCities died, 30 million websites vanished. I preserve endangered platforms and build alternatives that can't be killed."

Your Unique Angle:

• What do you bring that others don't?

• Example: "I'm the only person studying early trans YouTube comprehensively" or "I combine legal expertise with technical preservation skills"

2. Platform Strategy (Where Will You Publish?)

Primary Platform (Where you'll invest most time):

• Blog? Newsletter? YouTube? Podcast?

• Choose one, own it, make it yours

Secondary Platform (For distribution):

• Social media (Twitter, Mastodon, LinkedIn)

• Cross-post links to drive traffic to primary

Growth Goal:

• Year 1: 0 → 100 readers/subscribers

• Year 3: 100 → 1,000

• Year 5: 1,000 → 5,000+

3. Writing Strategy (Academic + Public)

Academic Track (For tenure/credibility):

• Target: 2-3 peer-reviewed articles per year

• Journals: Journal of Archaeobytology, Digital Humanities Quarterly, Social Studies of Science

Public Track (For impact/visibility):

• Target: 6-12 op-eds/blog posts per year (monthly or biweekly)

• Venues: Chronicle of Higher Education, Wired, The Atlantic, your blog

Book Plan:

• Years 1-3: Article publications (build CV)

• Years 4-5: Write book (synthesize research for broader audience)

• Year 6+: Book publication → media tour, speaking invitations

4. Speaking Strategy (Local → National → High-Profile)

Year 1-2: Local

• University talks (your dept, other depts on campus)

• Local libraries, community groups

• Goal: Practice speaking, refine message

Year 3-4: National

• Academic conferences (SAA, ADHO, 4S)

• Industry conferences (tech conferences, library associations)

• Podcasts (pitch yourself as guest)

• Goal: Build network, get known in field

Year 5+: High-Profile

• TEDx talks (apply for speaking slots)

• Congressional testimony (through advocacy organizations)

• Major media (NPR, CNN when your issue is in news)

• Goal: Reach mass audiences, shape policy

5. Media Strategy (Reactive + Proactive)

Media Kit (Create in Year 1):

• Bio (200 words)

• Headshot (professional photo)

• Expertise list ("I can speak on: platform shutdowns, digital preservation, user rights")

• Past media (links to any interviews, op-eds)

• Contact (email, phone)

Proactive Pitching (Ongoing):

• Identify 5-10 journalists who cover your beat

• Follow them on social media, read their work

• Pitch ideas when you have data or timely hook

• Example: "Hi [journalist], I follow your tech coverage. I just released data on platform shutdowns that shows X trend. Would you be interested in covering this?"

Responsive Engagement (When news breaks):

• Monitor news for stories related to your work

• Reply quickly when journalists request expert comment (within hours)

• Offer more than asked (data, visuals, other expert contacts)

6. Policy Strategy (Legitimacy → Testimony → Legislation)

Year 1-2: Build Legitimacy

• Publish research (establish expertise)

• Join organizations (EFF, ALA, advocacy groups)

• Write white papers (share with policy orgs)

Year 3-4: Get Invited

• Testify at local/state hearings

• Write op-eds when bills are debated

• Informal briefings with staffers

Year 5+: Direct Influence

• Congressional testimony

• Draft model legislation (with partners)

• Advisory roles (FCC, FTC, etc.)

7. Impact Metrics (How Will You Know You're Succeeding?)

Quantitative:

• Website/blog traffic (pageviews, unique visitors)

• Email subscribers

• Social media followers

• Speaking invitations

• Media mentions (times you're quoted)

• Policy citations (your work cited in testimony, reports)

Qualitative:

• Recognition (people in your field know your name)

• Influence (your ideas show up in others' work, policy debates)

• Community (you've built network of allies, collaborators)

• Cultural impact (concepts you coined enter public discourse)

8. Three Pillars Check (Are You Sovereign?)

• Declaration: Do you own your platform? (Your domain, not Medium)

• Connection: Can you reach your audience directly? (Email list, not just Twitter)

• Ground: Do you control your content? (Local backups, exportable formats)

If you're building public platform on someone else's land (Medium, Substack), you're vulnerable. Aim for sovereignty.

9. Risk Analysis (What Could Go Wrong?)

Burnout:

• Risk: Public work + academic work = too much

• Mitigation: Set boundaries (e.g., "I write one op-ed per month, no more")

Backlash:

• Risk: Public visibility invites criticism, harassment

• Mitigation: Don't read comments, have support network, know when to step back

Co-optation:

• Risk: Media oversimplifies your work, misrepresents your views

• Mitigation: Insist on reviewing quotes, clarify when misquoted, own your platform (blog) to set record straight

Institutional Pushback:

• Risk: Tenure committee doesn't value public work

• Mitigation: Prioritize peer review pre-tenure, frame public work as impact

Time Sink:

• Risk: Public work takes time from research, teaching, life

• Mitigation: Be strategic (one great op-ed > ten mediocre tweets), batch work (write multiple pieces at once)

Conclusion: From Scholar to Public Figure

Public intellectual work is not a betrayal of scholarship—it's an extension. You're taking the knowledge you create and making it matter beyond the academy.

The Goal Is Not Fame: It's influence. You want your ideas to shape:

• Policy (laws that protect digital culture)

• Culture (concepts that change how people think)

• Practice (methods that others adopt)

• Discipline (Archaeobytology becomes real)

The Path Is Long: 5-10 years to go from "nobody knows me" to "go-to expert." But every op-ed, every talk, every testimony moves you forward.

The Work Is Necessary: Archaeobytology can't become legitimate if it stays in academic journals. We need public intellectuals who can:

• Explain platform death to New York Times readers

• Testify before Congress on digital rights

• Write books that students discover and think "I want to study this"

• Build platforms that demonstrate digital sovereignty in practice

In the next chapter—the final chapter—we'll bring it all together: forging the Third Way, the vision for a post-platform future, and the Archaeobytologist's Manifesto.

But first, consider: What's your public intellectual strategy? If you spent the next five years building a platform, engaging media, and influencing policy, where would you be? And what would Archaeobytology as a field gain?

The discipline needs scholars. But it also needs public intellectuals.

Will you be one?

Discussion Questions

1. Personal Assessment: Do you see yourself as a public intellectual, or purely an academic? Why? What appeals to or scares you about public work?

2. Tradeoffs: How do you balance scholarly rigor with public accessibility? Where's the line between "simplified explanation" and "oversimplification"?

3. Platform Choice: Which platform would you choose for public intellectual work? (Blog, newsletter, podcast, social media, video?) What drives your choice?

4. Risk Tolerance: How much professional risk are you willing to take? Would you write controversial op-eds pre-tenure? Or wait until tenured?

5. Role Models: Who are public intellectuals you admire (in any field)? What do they do well? What would you do differently?

6. Impact Metrics: How would you measure success? Follower counts? Policy citations? Just "more people understand Archaeobytology"?

Exercise: Draft Your 5-Year Public Intellectual Strategy

Task: Create a concrete plan for becoming a public intellectual in Archaeobytology.

Part 1: Brand and Positioning (500 words)

• Niche: What's your specific expertise?

• Elevator pitch: Who are you, what do you do, why does it matter? (3 sentences)

• Unique angle: What do you bring that others don't?

• Target audiences: Who do you want to reach? (Academics, practitioners, policymakers, general public?)

Part 2: Platform Strategy (500 words)

• Primary platform: Where will you publish? (Blog, newsletter, YouTube, podcast?)

• Domain: Will you own yourname.com or use a hosted platform?

• Posting frequency: How often can you realistically create content?

• Content types: What will you write/create about?

• Growth plan: How will you build audience (0 → 100 → 1,000 → 5,000)?

Part 3: Media Engagement (500 words)

• Media kit: Draft your 200-word bio, expertise list, contact info

• Target journalists: List 5-10 journalists who cover your beat

• Pitch strategy: How will you get their attention?

• Op-ed ideas: Brainstorm 3 op-ed topics with news hooks

Part 4: Speaking and Policy (500 words)

• Speaking venues: Where will you speak (Years 1-2 vs. Years 3-5)?

• Policy pathway: How will you influence policy? White papers? Testimony? Advocacy partnerships?

• Key messages: What are the 3 core ideas you want policymakers to understand?

Part 5: Risk Mitigation (300 words)

• Burnout prevention: How will you avoid overcommitting?

• Tenure strategy: If pre-tenure, how will you balance public/academic work?

• Backlash plan: How will you handle criticism, harassment?

• Boundaries: What will you say no to?

Part 6: Timeline and Milestones (300 words)

Create a 5-year timeline with concrete milestones:

• Year 1: Launch blog, publish 3 op-eds, give 2 local talks

• Year 2: Grow to 500 subscribers, appear on 2 podcasts, testify at local hearing

• Year 3: Write book proposal, publish 6 op-eds, speak at national conference

• Year 4: Book published, media tour, congressional testimony

• Year 5: Established expert, 5,000+ readers, advisory role

Part 7: Reflection (200 words)

• Excitement: What excites you most about this plan?

• Fear: What scares you?

• Feasibility: Is this realistic given your life circumstances?

• Commitment: Will you actually do this? Why or why not?

Further Reading

On Public Scholarship

• Burawoy, Michael. "For Public Sociology." American Sociological Review 70, no. 1 (2005): 4-28.

  • Manifesto for scholars engaging beyond academy

• Posner, Miriam. "What's Next: The Radical, Unrealized Potential of Digital Humanities." In Debates in the Digital Humanities 2016, edited by Matthew Gold and Lauren Klein, 32-41. University of Minnesota Press, 2016.

  • DH scholar on making scholarship matter

On Public Intellectuals

• Jacoby, Russell. The Last Intellectuals: American Culture in the Age of Academe. Basic Books, 1987.

  • Classic (pessimistic) account of public intellectuals' decline

• Small, Helen. The Value of the Humanities. Oxford University Press, 2013.

  • Defending humanities in public sphere

On Writing for Public

• Sword, Helen. Stylish Academic Writing. Harvard University Press, 2012.

  • How to write accessibly without dumbing down

• Pinker, Steven. The Sense of Style. Viking, 2014.

  • Cognitive science of clear writing

Case Studies

• Noble, Safiya Umoja. Algorithms of Oppression. NYU Press, 2018.

  • Example of scholarship → public impact

• Doctorow, Cory. "Pluralistic." https://pluralistic.net/

  • Daily blog, model for public intellectual platform

On Media Engagement

• Nisbet, Matthew, and Dietram Scheufele. "What's Next for Science Communication? Promising Directions and Lingering Distractions." American Journal of Botany 96, no. 10 (2009): 1767-1778.

  • How scientists engage media (applicable to all scholars)

On Policy Influence

• Pielke, Roger. The Honest Broker. Cambridge University Press, 2007.

  • How scientists influence policy (without becoming advocates)

End of Chapter 17

Next: Chapter 18 — Forging the Third Way: Vision for a Post-Platform Future (The final chapter! The manifesto!)