bluecheese

I was just browsing Cixous's "Portrait of Dora" the other day (I'm teaching Lidia Yuknavitch's Dora: A Headcase this semester). That said, I haven't read much of the fictional stuff. I was just thinking that I should read more of it this past semester. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks! The program looks great! In short: I'm studying queer studies, medical discourse and literature. I'm hoping to work with: Shannon Winnubst, Eugene Holland, etc. Do you have any suggestions with regard to faculty I should (/must) work with?

I personally get annoyed with psychoanalytic texts because I don't have a solid access point into the convoluted vocabulary that has developed within that area. That said, I recently read an anthropology text that used the "collective unconscious," and I found it to have incredibly interesting ideas (it was focused on sociological "stuff" so it took "sciency" things seriously). I often also feel like I don't have an access to the points in Judith Butler (or in others) in which they veer off into Lacanian terminology (at least not to the degree I would like). That said, Cixous, Kristeva, Irigaray, etc. all use the terminology. As has been said above, it is simply another set of theoretical "terms" that is often used to say incredibly interesting things. It doesn't have to be anti-empirical. In terms of getting annoyed with academic discourse--I often feel the same way about a lot of theoretical marxism. It is extremely hard to read if you're not privy to the terminological eccentricities of the discourse--that said, I know that it is often saying important things.

I forgot to mention this on this forum: accepted to OSU's Comparative Studies department. Nominated for University Fellowship!

I need to read all of Maus at some point. I read part of it once, and then never finished for some reason. The part I read was great. Ugh. The semester is starting... so reading and writing is ALL that I'm doing. I'm in a reading group that's reading: Being and Time by Heidegger History of the Concept of Time by Heidegger On the side I'm reading: Tool-Being/Heidegger Explained by Graham Harman Re-reading in conjunction (because it's such a fun book): Queer Phenomenology by Sara Ahmed The above will be more of a semester long sort of thing. We've already met twice, so I've already read a bit of each of them. Besides that, I have to read these other books in the next couple of weeks (because I'm teaching/taking a class): Teaching: Family Ties by Clarise Lispector Cronopios and Famas by Cortazar Stories in the Worst Way by Gary Lutz For Class (next two weeks): Illuminations by Rimbaud Mute Objects of Expression by Francis Ponge Also, I have to read parts of books for my thesis (that I should be working on right now). And I want to read the first volume of Proust's big novel since we'll be reading a poetry book based off of it in my graduate seminar later this semester. I'm not sure I'll get to doing that, given that both the class I'm teaching and the class I'm taking have 13 books. But yeah, the semester grind has begun.

Instead of what do you "dislike?" what are you reading right now? Or, what will you be reading in the next few weeks?

Congrats! If you're "high" on the wait list, you'll likely get in. =D

You're saying that we should get rid of all strait white dudes from privileged backgrounds? I agree. Let the housekeeping commence. [Just being snarky. That said, I think the existence of psychoanalytic discourse is one of the smallest problems the academy has.]

Ah, yeah, I guess you're right about SMU. I just did a quick google search. Houston! & LSU is awesome. Great creative writing faculty (in poetry especially). Also some great theorists (I'm not sure they're all in the english department, but they're around). I didn't apply there... but I'm a fan.

cixous kristeva irigaray!!!!!

Do it! What places are still accepting applications? Houston (good faculty), Southern Methodist University (good faculty, great funding), South Dakota? etc.? Anywhere else?

Yeah, Congrats!!!! Early acceptances are extra exciting.

Congrats!

My prospectus was fairly specific. It wasn't a mini dissertation prospectus given that I'm unsure what theoretical approach I want to use to tackle my project (I mentioned some options, but didn't have one set in stone). I also have 2 or 3 things that I'm interested in all circling around the same area (on top of my interest in creative writing). I do have a project that I want to do, vaguely. But it definitely wasn't as set in stone as a dissertation prospectus. To a certain degree, I think all programs (from what I gather) want applications to have some sense of what they want to study. If that changes, cool. I didn't contact anyone at any of the schools (I do know some people at a couple of schools because of creative writing connections... but not at OSU). I did mention people I might potentially work with in my SOP.

Yes, that's usually the case. CONGRATS!!!!

Great post! My information on Nonfiction programs is scattered and from 4-5 years ago and based on memory.

Don't give up on this year yet. Acceptances run all the way into march. I would wait and re-apply for fall 2014. Your options will be severely limited if you go for spring admissions (there is little to no funding available). Complete a couple of conference papers and then re-apply. Seriously. You'll get in somewhere decent if you have an MA and a solid writing sample. If you apply for spring admission you'll totally be selling yourself short and limiting your possibilities Apply for fall admission, and apply to as many schools as you can afford (start saving up now, put it on credit cards, barrow it from someone, whatever... it will make a HUGE difference in terms of your future prospects).

I know some people in a similar program. They do have a harder time getting jobs, but when they do get jobs they are often much better than the jobs than one gets from a second tier/or lower first tier english department (and are often equivalent to what one might get from a first tier english department). That said, it does make things a bit harder. Given my interests, though, it may open me up to a variety of interdisciplinary jobs (American Studies, Women and Gender Studies, etc. on top of english departments). I actually wouldn't have applied if I didn't think there were job prospects. I talked to several faculty before making the decision to apply to such programs It's "weirder" than a strait english degree, but it is totally doable. And thanks to everyone for all of the good wishes!!!!!

The hiring prospects, I think, depend on what project one undertakes. Some things make the job market harder (like people who study theory strictly). My project should position me for english, gender studies, and theory programs. So, at least in my case, I think they're pretty good. Also, I'm in a good position for creative writing jobs (but those are always a shot in the dark). Also, Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!

http://comparativestudies.osu.edu/ It's like Berkeley Rhetoric, University of Minnesota Cultural Studies, etc. Super excited!

Funny that I just posted the above this morning. Just accepted to Ohio State's Comparative Studies program and nominated for a University Fellowship.

I'm thinking early Feb (5th-10th) at the earliest for worrying. If I get one before then... great! If not, I'll probably start to stress about the future (like, I could be applying for jobs right now). But, I feel like I should hold out through the first wave or so of acceptance before starting to worry.

awesome!

it's too hard http://www.youtube.com/embed/hNXL0SYJ2eU

I think you need to have an academic book also. Having the translation will likely help you (as something "additional"), but the job market for people who just do translation is extremely small (if non existant). I would suggest doing both, if you have the time/energy.