Dear Friends,

Before crystallizing my final project, I had to consider all the circumstances, contingencies, contexts, and nuances of our class and group dynamic as I reasonably could:

1.) EXPERIMENTAL + COMMUNITIES

The class is called experimental communities. As a matter of pure addition, leaving synergy to chance, it’s important to think of projects and “doings” in the context of both “experimentation” and “community”.

2.) COLLABORATION

I found my second project — our project — to be a necessary next step in the arc of my projects this semester.

3.) CROSS-POLLINATION

Related to the idea of collaboration is that of cross-pollination. More and more, interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge, problem-solving, and analysis are receiving more attention and value in the eyes of academics and professionals.

4.) AMBITION

Professor Lasch mentioned this last project should be ambitious. I see mine as that, as it will take the better part of a year, perhaps a year and a half, to come to fruition.

5.) CONNECTING THE DOTS – THE PROJECT ARC

As I have discussed with Professor Lasch on several occasions, poetry is my method of generating ideas and activity. Poetry gets me thinking, gets me going, and gets me doing. It served as the basis for my thesis in undergrad, has kept me on track for getting into and surviving law school, and has filled the downtime while working in every other capacity in my life.

My personal poetry in the first project, coupled with the communitarian poetry we all engaged in for my second project has led to the conceptual basis and driving force behind my final project.

6.) SHIFTING CIRCUMSTANCES

In the interest of full disclosure, this year, and more particularly this semester, have forced me to reevaluate my strategy for giving back to a community so near to me.

As a result, my original idea of a large, academic paper has become moot. I plan to leave the Cultural Anthropology department after I complete this semester so as to put more energy and focus into the legal and policy-making aspects of my education. The decision has been less than easy to make, but I see it as a necessary one.

My final project is the first “Request for Comments” in starting a new, inter-university journal in law and policy.

Please, on Tuesday, bring an open mind, busy mouth, and a helpful heart, because I need you guys for this –

Love,

Adam