Most university academics belong to what I am inclined to call "an academic gang," although they refer to these gangs simply as "schools of thought."  However, they are referred to, academics are just as loyal to their gangs as youthful hoodlums are to their's.  These academic gangs exist, apparently, in all disciplines.

In academic gangs, just as in hoodlum gangs, advancement depends on one's show of loyalty.  For academics loyalty is shown by demonstrating support each other's work even when one is not very familiar with the work one is supporting.   One might think that academics would read and know each other's work, but often this is simply not true.  It is difficult and time consuming to study and understand another professor's writing.  Nevertheless, academic gangsters must show this support if they are to have their own work supported by the gang.  Support is necessary and it is difficult to get unless it is given..  

Professors need support from a gang because the esoteric nature of their work tends to isolate them.  Few people understand what they do.  But gangs can create a sense of security for academics even when people are not reading what they write.

An academic gang member shows loyalty in a number of different ways.  It can be done, for example, by citing the favorite people of the gang or by bashing other groups.

There are many disadvantages to this system of academic gangs.  The need for recognition by the gang becomes so great in academia that it often causes a lack of interest in students.  It can also mean, as in economics, that scholars will focus on systems of thought supported by a gang even though it has been shown to be a useless line of research in the world outside the gang.  Postmodern gangs, also, are sometimes willing to say preposterous things in order to support their gang membership.  Because gang membership is founded on a need for support rather than credibility of the writing, academics must fight other gangs in order to minimize internal devisiveness.  

Is there anyway out of this academic gang warfare?  Perhaps one thing that would help would be to provide new professors a broader cross-disciplinary education.  Another is that we should all learn to read important documents in disciplines other than our own.  And, most importantly, we should learn to discuss these problems openly.