“Magical Thinking” and Inward Engagement at a Small Liberal Arts University in a Time of Crisis
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2022
Abstract
This case study essay draws on experiences and survey documentation surrounding a new, client-driven course, ENG337–Professional Editing, that was piloted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The author, an Assistant Professor at a small liberal arts college, pulls from this experience and the attending documentation to interrogate “magical thinking,” a concept formulated by Joan Didion (2007) and later repurposed by James Dubinsky (2010) to explore various dimensions of program development. Through the narrative of course development and administration and a retroactive summary of survey findings, the author demonstrates how “magical thinking” can be re-formulated to respond to our responsibilities to students and stakeholders in times of crisis. The essay concludes by calling on readers to not allow “magical thinking” to be a just-in-time reaction, but rather a regular expression of our values in the field.
Recommended Citation
Danner, P. (2022). "Magical thinking" and inward engagement at a small liberal arts university in a time of crisis. Programmatic Perspectives, 13(2), 76-103. https://cptsc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/13.2.pdf