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cokohlik, I see you're in the humanities. Graduate Study for the 21st Century: How to Build an Academic Career in the Humanities by Gregory Colon Semenza was recommended in the History thread and I have been finding it useful. He lays out what to expect as a PhD student in the humanities - everything from seminar papers and oral reports to submitting conference papers to publishing to developing a personal organization system. He empowers the grad student by explaining the culture of humanities graduate departments and mapping out an ideal route to tenure. Of course there is no perfect model and experiences are ultimately individualized, but knowing what to expect (as much as possible) helps to keep focused on larger goals, rather than getting caught up in the smaller details. I wish I'd had this book before I began my MA program. Good luck!

I hadn't. Thank you for posting it here.

Congratulations, oseirus!

Wishing you the best, TMP!

A couple current GC students told me the consortium is a positive aspect of the program and I know of one GC student taking language courses at a university in the consortium. NYU I think?

It certainly is! I sent you a PM if you're interested in continuing our conversation privately. If not, I understand and I'm sure our paths will cross at some point along the way. Best of luck to you!

MidEastApp, it looks like we have similar interests. I loved Ze'evi's Producing Desire and el-Rouayheb's Before Homosexuality in the Arab-Islamic World. Can't say I'm a fan of Massad's Desiring Arabs - I'd say to read him with a grain of salt. Omitting anything by Khalidi or Najmabadi, and Mitchell's Colonising Egypt were oversights on my part. I just started reading Samira Haj's Reconfiguing Islamic Tradition.

Thanks for the reminder. For may part, I am in transition. Most of the titles I listed in general Middle Eastern/ North African History I read as part of my MA coursework in Middle Eastern History, although some I read for my thesis. I read the books pertaining to gender for an Independent Study during my MA and for seminar papers and my MA thesis.

General Middle Eastern History Nazih Ayubi, Political Islam: Religion and Politics in the Arab World C. Ernest Dawn, From Ottomanism to Arabism: Essays on the Origins of Arab Nationalism David Fromkin, A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples Albert Hourani, Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age Nikki Keddie, Modern Iran: Roots and Revolution Ira Lapidus, A History of Islamic Societies Bernard Lewis, The Emergence of Modern Turkey Edward Said, Orientalism Emmanuel Sivan, Radical Islam: Medieval Theology and Modern Politics P.J. Vatikiotis, A History of Modern Egypt: from Muhammed Ali to Mubarak (4th edition) Women and Gender in the Middle East/ North Africa Lila Abu-Lughod, Remaking Women: Feminism and Modernity in the Middle East Lila Abu-Lughod, Veiled Sentiments: Honor and Poetry in a Bedouin Society Leila Ahmed, Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate Nadje Al-Ali, Secularism, Gender and the State in the Middle East Qasim Amin, The Liberation of Women and The New Woman - then read the criticisms Margot Badran, Feminists, Islam, and Nation: Gender and the Making of Modern Egypt Beth Baron, The Women's Awakening in Egypt: Culture, Society and the Press Beth Baron, Egypt as a Woman: Nationalism, Gender, and Politics Nikki R. Keddie, Women in the Midde East: Past and Present Saba Mahmood, Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject Fatima Mernissi, The Veil and the Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation Interpretation of Women's Rights in Islam (She's Moroccan. If you're interested in North Africa, read everything by her). Valentine Moghadam, Modernizing Women: Gender and Social Change in the Middle East Nawal El Saadawi, The Hidden Face of Eve Huda Shaarawi, Harem Years Guity Nashat and Judith Tucker, Women in the Middle East and North Africa I tend to be Egypt-centric but I have recommendations for readings on women and gender in Iran as well as issues pertaining to "Third World Women" and global feminism. Feel free to PM me if you want more but this should be good start! Happy reading!

American History R_Escobar (20th century, American Indian), crazedandinfused (antebellum, intellectual), hopin'-n-prayin' (southern, religious), stevemcn (transnational), Simple Twist of Fate (early American), zb642 (20th century, labor/working-class culture), BCEmory08 (19th-20th century Catholicism, labor), irvinchiva10 (20th century, immigration/immigration reform) European History Kelkel (Modern Germany, political), goldielocks (Britain), SapperDaddy (Eastern and Central Europe), kotov (Modern Romania, Holocaust, labor), RevolutionBlues (Modern Western Europe/France labor and leftist politics), theregalrenegade (18th/19th cent British Empire/environment), jrah822 (19th century Britain; emphasis on colonial relationship to India), grlu0701 (Intellectual & cultural history,fin de siecle Germany and Italy), naturalog (modern European [mostly German] intellectual and cultural/sexuality and gender/political radicalism), runaway (Eastern/Central, memorialization & visual culture); Sequi001 (Modern France, gender and sexuality, colonialism/imperialism) African History Oseirus (precolonial/early colonial West Africa), Singwaya18 (20th century East Africa), Safferz (20th century Horn/Northeast Africa), The People's Scholar (Spanish colonialim in Africa- i.e. middle/West Africa) Latin American History teachgrad (20th century, Southern Cone), BH-history, The People's Scholar (18th-19th century Colombia) East Asian History alleykat (Modern China), kyjin (Pre-Modern Japan) Near/Middle Eastern History uhohlemonster, oswic (modern Egypt, gender) Atlantic World sandyvanb Global/World History cooperstreet (Cold War) Jewish History uhohlemonster, hopin'-n-'prayin, kotov (Holocaust), naturalog (sometimes modern European/Holocaust), runaway (memorialization & visual culture) ticklemepink (20th c. Germany/U.S) Science/Technology shaxmaty1848 (Cold War) Social annieca (Cold War and Post-Cold War East and Central Europe)

Hello all, I've seen a fair amount of discussion about digital organizing on TGC. Having only used Word and Excel to organize my materials and work, I am excited to embrace technology more fully. That said, I can't see much difference between Mendeley, Papers2, or Zotero except money and preferred browsers. I'd prefer to read comments from graduate students in history on this topic because I think we might use these programs differently from those in natural sciences, professional degree program, etc. So - Mendeley, Papers2, or Zotero? Also, I got a Mac and it comes with Open Office. Is there any reason to buy Word or is Open Office sufficient? Many thanks!

Thanks for posting this list. Looking forward to reading these!

Best of luck!

EmilyChopin, First, congratulations on your acceptance! You must be so proud and should enjoy this time. I wouldn't worry about your age and I don't think jealousy is going to be a significant issue. In fact, it may not be an issue at all. You may find that the older students will feel endeared toward you or even protective. I promise you that your peers will be worrying about their own impressions. It's like going to a gym for the first time and worrying that other people are judging you. You might worry that people don't like your clothes or are laughing at the way you workout - that you don't belong in the gym. But almost everyone else in the gym have similar fears. In actual fact, everyone is caught up in their own heads worrying about everyone else around them. Older students have similar concerns about going back to school and being judged. I went abroad for my MA and the average age in my cohort was 24. One of my closest friends was 46 years old at the beginning of our program. Some students thought she was a bit weird but most admired how she packed up her life (and her cats) and moved half-way around the world to take a risk and study what she loved. Her adjustment was a challenge but her performance, dedication to her studies, and respect for her peers earned mutual respect. The bottom line is, try to stay rooted in the present. When you're overwhelmed with doubt and find yourself imagining horrible scenarios and trying to plan in your head a thousand ways to prepare for those scenarios, try to remember to bring yourself back to the present - to what is really happening. Where are you at that given moment? How are you feeling? Where are you? The thoughts you're having are just thoughts and they're not true.Focus on what's true (e.g. I just ate a sandwich, I emailed my adviser a question, I'm feeling anxious about my paper, my neck is stiff, etc.) As someone who deals with chronic worrying, I empathize with your concerns. There might be one or two people in your cohort who judge you harshly, but I promise you that it's only because they have low self-esteem and their over-confidence mask their insecurities. Level headed peers will be able to see this clearly and as long as you are true to yourself, work hard, and treat everyone with respect, they will respect you. It is entirely possible to have close friendships with older classmates. The worry and fears are natural to anyone embarking on a new and challenging adventure, but they are magnified because of your age. In time, you will trust yourself more and care about what other people think a little less. Allow yourself to grow during this process. Once again, congratulations and have a wonderful time in grad school!

Desktop. I'm at work and have a BAD case of senioritis. Somehow senioritis is worse when you're not in school. But yes, you're right - people here will know my scores are flipped.