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Am Studies/Cultural Studies/Theory 2013


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FYI: I gave into temptation and called Michigan. I was told decisions would be sent out in the next two weeks or by the end of February at the latest.

 

Not super-helpful, I know, but I thought it might ease the minds of other Michigan applicants expecting to hear. I don't know if it's a good or bad thing that decisions are taking 2-3 weeks longer this year... :unsure:

Edited by Pericles II.ii.48
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As we obsessively check the results boards and our emails, I'd be curious to hear what people's specific research interests are outside of (or in addition to) the "queer theory" "critical race studies" "poststructuralism" "Marxism" etc. kind of key words.

 

For me a lot of what I am interested in revolves around most of those key words ^ and specifically looking at U.S. security through very material forms like border walls, cameras, biometrics, etc. as well as expanding ideas of security to both include affect as a more or less security "technique" as well as linking security studies more closely with feminist science studies and how we interpret "the body" in relation to technologies. While my focus on this has been mostly in a post-9/11 context (spec. with airport full-body scanners), I want to move into the 19th/20th century a bit more a look more closely at immigration policy/tactics. [That would be a very broad idea of what I want to study]

 

And good luck again to everybody :D

 

So interesting to hear what you all are studying!

 

My key words are very similar. Specifically, I am interested in apocalyptic thought, myth, and literature and the space they create for individual autonomy and agency to come to light through the loss of socially constructed norms--mainly, the contrast between American Indian (inclusive of all the Americas) thought and Western/American thought--and how they imagine/create new social realities. I am also concerned with pluralism as it relates to underserved populations (especially rural American Indian communities) with regard to cultural preservation/homogenization and education. Related to both of these, I am also interested in the preservation of native languages because of their connection to cultural identity and sense-making structures.

Edited by notaprettygrrrl
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As we obsessively check the results boards and our emails, I'd be curious to hear what people's specific research interests are outside of (or in addition to) the "queer theory" "critical race studies" "poststructuralism" "Marxism" etc. kind of key words.

 

For me a lot of what I am interested in revolves around most of those key words ^ and specifically looking at U.S. security through very material forms like border walls, cameras, biometrics, etc. as well as expanding ideas of security to both include affect as a more or less security "technique" as well as linking security studies more closely with feminist science studies and how we interpret "the body" in relation to technologies. While my focus on this has been mostly in a post-9/11 context (spec. with airport full-body scanners), I want to move into the 19th/20th century a bit more a look more closely at immigration policy/tactics. [That would be a very broad idea of what I want to study]

 

And good luck again to everybody :D

 

Interesting indeed to hear what the fellow applicants are interested in!

 

Well my interests are a bit hodge-podge, as are most of ours. My background is in colonial history, constitutional law & politics, and post WW2 history. I'm really primarily interested in the intersection of politics, history, and popular culture. Something that has always struck me about the current application-age generation is that so many people say things like "I hate politics" and "I don't participate in politics" when in fact, politics of all types (not just legal) run the planet and society. It's interesting to me how people don't understand that every action they make is in fact political in a certain light. I like to focus all of my ideas back to Colonial American history and the founding of the American nation and I like to trace present day phenomena back to their roots and look at how (more often than not) things haven't profoundly changed as much as the American public likes to verbalize that they have. I have done some work with nostalgia and cultural memory in relation to all of this, but my proposed thesis is a little different.

 

If you followed that train of thought you get a gold star-not an application decision, I know, but it's the small victories right? :D

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Hi! my fellow anxiety ridden applicants. I'm mostly applying to Religious studies programs, but I'm waiting to hear back for the George Washington American Studies program, and am on the waitlist for Am. Stud. at UT Austin. Waiting is the worst. Congrats to those of y'all who have gotten acceptances!

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yeah it's so competitive. looks amazing though. probably where I'd be happiest. but my recommenders had no connections there and the one faculty member I could work with and mentioned in my PS is probably already really, really popular and not on the look out for incoming grad students.

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Had my NYU interview today! Honestly, I thought it could have gone better D: The questions were what you would expect and the 15-20 minutes flew by. Overall, if I could change anything it would have been to be more specific, I think my answers were relatively general and that I didn't really get across the points I had wanted to or give a very specific or 'unique' impression of myself. (My hopes had been to prepare more this past weekend but I was beat up pretty badly [no serious injuries though] and most of my time and mental space has been dedicated toward that. Unfortunately I chose to go with the interview and kind of wish I had requested to move it to another date so I could have gathered myself a little better)

Also there was no indication of who was being interviewed/if they had chosen certain applicants already/or when we could expect to hear back. It was also so brief that any questions I had for the committee I wasn't able to ask. So I'm afraid I can't give much more insight other than that. As always good luck to everybody!

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