KJC2105

Congrats on the interviews! Would you mind sharing which schools have already contacted potential interviewees? Merci !!

@Warelin, I have primarily thought about investigating it from within a sociology department. I have found examples of students researching similar threads in queer studies through soc; they just are not super common, it seems. I wasn't sure if a communications/media studies dept would make more sense, or if anyone might know of a different interdisc program or even a certain researcher I have overlooked whose program might be worth a look! My preferred methodology would be ethnography, which soc or anth would facilitate, but which would also be an option as an interdisciplinarian, I guess.

Hey, Folks! I have been investigating various programs but thought I would crowd-source for additional insight or suggestions: I'm planning on applying to phd programs this coming fall to research the way gender (and particularly masculinity) is policed and performed, especially among adolescents, and especially vis-à-vis social media. I'm interested in the ways Instagram, for example, both expands and contracts ideas about "optimal" and optional gender performance. More generally, I am interested in the way media (soc med/tv/internet) and institutions (school, gov) shape these concepts and the way these communities evolve. So far, I have looked into sociology, media/comm, and gender studies programs at the following schools: UMich (soc, comm); Northwestern (soc [they have SPAN for soc of sexuality], media/tech/society), UChic (soc); UWisc (soc, comm); UT Austin (soc, comm); and OSU (soc, gender studies). When I comb through scholarly articles, however, I sometimes find that the scholars are in anth or even psych depts, and, overall, the scholars tend to come from all over, including lots of European unis or places that don't offer phd programs. I would prefer to stay in the Midwest to be drivable to family (and the lower cost of living); programs in NYC and CA are programmatically/philosophically appealing but sound financially even more challenging than a phd will baseline be. I am planning to apply mostly to competitive programs, as well, for the sake of funding (I am currently a full-time teacher, so not getting in somewhere this year doesn't spell disaster) and future employability (as an academic or beyond). My own academic background is competitive though lacking in research; I'll have to make the case that my life experiences as a gay/queer man (theatre actor and teacher) inform, enrich, and compel my research proposal. I am hoping someone with similar interdisciplinary interests might be able to offer some insight or feedback--I'd greatly appreciate it!

How do we get to the results page??