Are my intended research interests too "creepy?"

[BlueB]

Hi, all. Happy to be here. Long time lurker, first time poster. I'm throwing myself back into the application game for Fall '21 and I'm trying to get a head start since I have some downtime. 

I'm applying to Japanese and East Asian Lit programs with an undergrad in Asian Studies and some years of work experience teaching English to Japanese students. I have a pretty clear idea of what I want to research, but initial reactions to it have been... Less than positive. My real passion is Japanese horror books. I know they get a bad rap for being nothing more than cheap gorey thrills, but academically I really want to explore the upward trend of women as perpetrators of violence in contemporary literature and how it correlates to feminist movements in Japan. Which is really specific. And people always tell you to shoot for specific when defining your research scope. Unfortunately, I've had several people read my SoP drafts and there have been some noted concerns that my research is "too dark" or "creepy."

I'm pretty sure my writing style is plenty academic (blog posts notwithstanding), it's the subject matter rubbing people the wrong way. I know horror is already the black sheep of the literary world, and I've considered making my interest simply "women in lit," but that seems way too broad. One bit of feedback I got was that I have to "ease them into it" but I feel that a unique and timely research interest is a big selling point. There's also been a concern that focusing on violence and women (even though I'm a lady myself) makes me sound like a serial killer, and I feel like the more I insist that it's purely academic the less convincing I sound. 

One of my potential PoIs is currently researching "Japanese death literature" and has experience writing about women's roles in Japanese lit, which makes me think we would make an especially good match, but since getting feedback I've been scared to approach anyone with my current research topic for fear of ending up on a list.

I guess my question is: does anyone have experience with "creepy" research interests? How did you deal with the feedback? Should I change my proposed research topic if I want any hope of getting in? Is it actually really creepy and now I'm on a list anyway? I feel like I'm bending over backwards justifying my interest and it's really affecting the quality of my new SoP drafts. Help me out here. 

[PsyDuck90]

I don't think that sounds creepy at all. Then again, I study intimate partner violence and sexual assault as a psychology grad student so I guess there's that. If you are applying to work with faculty who research similar topics, it won't be creepy to them. 

[Sigaba]

For now, without bending over backwards, could you find a topic that will be less controversial, may provide context for your proposed topic down the line, and raise fewer concerns during the upcoming application season? For example, could you as a graduate student, see yourself researching violence against women in Japanese literature--is there an uptick in violence that coincides with contemporaneous feminist movements in Japan?

Then, maybe after you get tenure, you could return to this topic.

 

 

[Glasperlenspieler]

On 7/20/2020 at 4:20 PM, BlueB said:

Unfortunately, I've had several people read my SoP drafts and there have been some noted concerns that my research is "too dark" or "creepy."

Who is giving you this feedback? Is it professors or fellow students? And if it's the latter, do they have a good grounding in contemporary discourses in cultural studies and feminist thought? For what it's worth your research sounds intriguing and potentially an interesting contribution to a variety of contemporary discussions. But I do think that with a topic like this it's probably very important to frame it very carefully and in a way that clearly outlines its relationship to other scholarship.

[The Maritime Scholar]

I mean, isn't that the point? Hah. If it's about Japanese horror lit, then it SHOULD be creepy! It makes it much more interesting for your topic. They are YOUR research interests. Don't let other people make you believe that they are flawed in any way. You do whatever you want to do. It's your research. Put your all into it and be happy with it! ?

P.S. I think what you're researching sounds awesome and interesting!

Edited August 12, 2020 by The Maritime Scholar

[letscandoit]

Not creepy at all, it sounds really interesting! And it seems like you've potentially identified a good fit with the PoI researching Japanese death literature. I would say reach out to them and see what they think. As long as you're writing about the topic with an academic tone and stating why you think it would be a significant area of research, I don't see why this wouldn't be an acceptable and memorable topic to propose exploring.

[molls]

Yea I agree with Maritime Scholar, its horror, so it should be creepy...there's no getting around that. Go for it, you only posted a brief blip of what you want to research, but I get the sense you've thought alot about it

[feralgrad]

Honestly, I think "optics" also play a role here, for better or worse. If you're a white guy, it might be seen as fetish-y.

Personally, I think it's a really cool topic, but my opinion counts for squat ?

Edited November 4, 2020 by feralgrad

[mokona122]

Another applicant here interested in pre-modern literature and the violence, death, and mutilation of women in Edo tales! I feel like we would be great colleagues lol.  Definitely NOT creepy and many POI have told me that such topics like ours would stick out among the other more ~mainstream~ topics in the applicant pool, giving us an edge if an admissions committee has to filter before faculty get to view it.

Edited January 6, 2021 by mokona122