MA Thesis Topic == Ph.D. Direction: What to do?

[Analytic tlamatini]

I am going to be applying to Ph.D. programs during the 2021-2022 season. I am here to gain something of an early start by asking questions to the GC philosophy (et al.) community. I hope that my questions may provide teaching moments to some of you application season vets who may choose to engage. Perhaps give each of you a chance to forget about your own anxieties for a bit, or perhaps even alleviate your unease in the process. 

Okay so, just as the subject line says: I am in the process of choosing my thesis project. I am to write a proposal and turn it in by the end of the month. I began conducting tentative research during the summer which seemingly culminated a thesis project that, without getting too specific, would require what we'll call 'cross-sectional' research consisting of political philosophy (ancient, contemporary Western), metaphysics, and Latin American philosophy. And so, I am told that this will determine where I pitch myself. But then, today I attended the thesis presentation of a peer who is doing something that is similar enough in relation to the Latin American part, namely a shared Pre-Conquest element. My peer was told to be cautious of giving off a notion of, to paraphrase, "not being wholly committed to working under one's adviser/program" in his application, which would be difficult given the Cross-Sectional demand behind writing a dissertation of this kind and thereby forging one's AOSs. That made me nervous. Indeed I took that to heart in light of the fact that competition for funded spots is apparently unprecedented given our global situation at the moment and beyond.

To wrap this up, I do have an alternative thesis topic, which would focus primarily on political philosophy and epistemology among other branches. I pride myself on doing work that is applicable to current events, which each project is indeed, but I happen to see more importance in the first project. I would also like to focus on Latin American stuff someday no matter what I do immediately next. And I also happen to think it is deeply philosophical, but I would need to take seminars in either Latin American Studies, Anthropology, History, or a combination of all the above (if possible). Any advice would be much appreciated, please...

[Contingent]

Honesrtly, I would say that if you are not doing what you are passionaite about, you are not helping yourself. If Latin America is what you want to focus on now and in the long term, I would stick with it. There are plenty of people and departments that will take on cross-sectional research. I think if you lf you research universities carefully, your application will not be any different than if you focused on political philosophy and epistemology. 

[musicdegree4me]

You either pursue what you love wholeheartedly or you think tactically to gain admission to a program that could at least reasonably accommodate your needs and then pursue what you love wholeheartedly. Either approach is valid. 

[semiotic_mess]

My situation might be a bit different since I do continental philosophy, but I strategically made my thesis project both about my interest + included stuff that I was less interested in that demonstrated an engagement and understanding of the history of philosophy because I knew that would be important and what departments would be looking for. I got into one of my top choices + had a few offers and interviews, so it seems that it worked out. Definitely pick something you are excited about; don't stick yourself with a project you will resent and will suffer from your lack of interest (I'll be honest that I hate and suffered through that chapter, but I learned a lot writing it and my other chapters were much better), but there is nothing wrong with strategizing a little bit in order to make yourself an attractive candidate for the kinds of programs you want to end up at. Find some sort of balance. 

Best of luck!