smallaxe

The short answer is submit your best paper... A well-argued piece with some original thought, perhaps related to your proposed research.

I do just wonder how it came to be, and why so many people adopt it - i.e. people in my program who didn't say it at the beginning of the year have started to throw in 'the ways in which' into their speech. I find it interesting how many of us start using these terms... I imagine in an effort to sound 'more academic'...

Until I started in Anthropology, I'd never seen so many people use 'the ways in which'... What is wrong with 'how'?!?! Is this a social science thing? I suppose my question here is... do you use 'the ways in which', and if so, why that construction instead of another one?

I took four years off before starting my MA in Anthropology. I spent time living in two different countries, working a couple different jobs, and ultimately starting my own business. The time I spent abroad has really shaped my research question and I'm one of the few in my cohort not being discouraged from extended field work (I'm planning on 4 months compared to 3-6 weeks for others) because I have already made connections with potential interlocutors and have experience in my field site. I find that professors take me much more seriously now. They know I'm not studying because I had no idea what to do after my undergrad, but that I really want to be there. Also, there is a vast difference between the contributions people with 'life experience' make and those perpetual students make in class. Even my attitude towards studying is completely different than undergrad and different from others in my cohort. I'm a huge proponent of taking some time off!

Deadline has been extended 24 hours - check portal!

That is true. Someone just kind of put it into my head that I should get a jump on my coursework when I'd been thinking I would just get started when everyone else did... Interesting, I'm pleased to know that the option is there. It makes the idea of quitting travelling a bit more bearable.

That's very reassuring, thank you! It's good to know that the program emphasizes theory, I certainly need it and I suppose it means I won't be at too much of a disadvantage after the first year. I think that the one advantage I do have is in terms of managing my time and not being afraid of a heavy workload -- that's a typical day as a freelancer!

Thanks for the recommendation! I just looked at the book and I'm familiar with a few of the theorists so I suppose that's a good sign.

Hi everyone! I'll be heading to YorkU in September for a masters in Social Anthropology. I studied Psychology and Equity Studies at U of T for my undergrad -- 4 years ago. I've been teaching abroad in the French West Indies and working as a freelance writer since then, so I've been out of academia for awhile... I'm interested in lifestyle migrants of colour and their experiences integrating abroad, potentially in the Caribbean and/or Europe. I've been pondering two things: 1) Should I do any reading over the summer to prepare and what would you suggest? I did some Facebook creeping and it seems my cohort is full of fresh grads out of anthropology. I've never even taken an anthropology course... I was mostly interested in ethnographic research methods, and the idea of travelling. 2) Will I have the opportunity to do field research abroad? I'm still a bit unclear as to how that works. It's a two year program. I suppose I could just ask the department but I didn't want to seem overly keen about leaving the country! Thanks in advance!