Applying to Sociology PhD program with Anthro undergrad

[AspiringLinguist]

I have a bachelor's degree in anthropology, with a minor in linguistics--but I'm more interested in sociology and want to apply for a PhD in sociology.

 

My GPA and GRE are pretty good.

 

Would this work?

[Illusio80]

Yes, definitely, I had a minor in anthro and a major in something else, and once was in a highly ranked sociology program.  If you're interested in culture, look at such places as UC-San Diego, UC-Santa Barbara, UC- Berkeley, Chicago, Yale, Princeton, etc.

[Darth.Vegan]

My partner has a BA in anthro and an MPA and was accepted to a top 5 program. So yes, that should work no problem. 

[AspiringLinguist]

All right. Thanks, guys. I apologize for my ignorance, but what is the difference between the "sociology of culture" and sociocultural anthropology?

[Illusio80]

All right. Thanks, guys. I apologize for my ignorance, but what is the difference between the "sociology of culture" and sociocultural anthropology?

 

Well, there are a few different strains of sociology of culture.  The most traditional one looks at culture as music, dance, art, etc. and analyzes the social conditions of its production.  Then there's cognitive sociology, which draws heavily from cognitive anthropology, and the Strong Program, which draws heavily from Geertz and semiotic anthropology.  What kind of anthro have you concentrated on?

[AspiringLinguist]

Linguistic anthropology. Should I emphasize on my applications that I'm interested in the sociology of language and sociology of culture?

[Illusio80]

Possibly.  Do some research on "sociolinguistics."  I don't know a whole lot about it, but I do know that conversation analysis is a significant part of the subfield.

[AspiringLinguist]

Sociolinguistics tends to be studied by Linguistics PhD's... so I'd probably want to stick to the "sociology of language."

[Illusio80]

I know of a sociology professor, who now is retired, who specifically listed an interest in sociolinguistics.  Similarly, there is a subfield of sociology called "social psychology".  However, you may do as you wish.  Good luck.

[AspiringLinguist]

Thanks!

[dawgle]

I'm fairly certain conversation analysis is big at UCLA

[AspiringLinguist]

What exactly is "conversation analysis" in sociology?

[dawgle]

Honestly, it's what it sounds like. CA was inspired by things like ethnomethodology, Goffman, etc. (who in turn influenced Bourdieu) and usually involves very detailed studies of interaction (i.e. in hospitals, schools,...). It can be fascinating- and is by nature a very ethnographic form of research

[AspiringLinguist]

That's very interesting. I'm glad that this sort of method of analysis is related to sociology (since I need to connect my linguistics minor to it somehow.) Thanks!

[Illusio80]

CA is the analysis of audiotaped or videotaped interaction, whereas ethnography is typically more oriented to "hanging out" in the world and then taking detailed notes.  My understanding is that they are distinct methodologies.

[NotSure]

Why on earth would you do that?!!! Leaving anthropology for a predominantly a-theoretical a-historical discipline like sociology, and to study what? socio-linguistics!!! Do not make that mistake -- sociology is largely a stupid discipline (at least in the US), and unless you are willing to work hard to change that, stay in anthropology. The bunch of amateurs that are pontificating about ethnography vs. conversation analysis (and Goffman who influenced Bourdieu!!!!!!!!!) read a couple of chapters in some class and got an A and apparently built enough confidence (which is exactly why US sociology is crap) to go to grad school and even to start professing before getting there! Long-story short: do not waste your time studying such an interesting topic in a discipline like sociology in the US, unless you are applying abroad (Edingburgh?!)

 

Good luck!

[Darth.Vegan]

NotSure....really? Why do people feel the need to come in here and trash the discipline? Come on.

[magicunicorn]

Something to consider is that the job market is better for sociology phDs than anthropology phDs.. .  More sociology phDs go into research for private companies than do anthro phD's, making it slightly less competitive - my friends who are in anthro at my school seem to have a harder time on the job market than grads in my sociology phD program... I know its not a huge consideration for some people, but it was important for me in some regards when deciding between these two fields.

Edited February 6, 2013 by magicunicorn

[dawgle]

CA is the analysis of audiotaped or videotaped interaction, whereas ethnography is typically more oriented to "hanging out" in the world and then taking detailed notes.  My understanding is that they are distinct methodologies.

 

Good point, you got me there. I've only read one book that used CA, and it was an ethnography...they documented some of the conversations and then reconstructed them later on. 

 

On the other hand, I stand by Goffman having an influence on Bourdieu. In Outline of a Theory of Practice, Bourdieu repackages symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology into his own theory in order to critique structuralist anthropology. 

[Illusio80]

Good point, you got me there. I've only read one book that used CA, and it was an ethnography...they documented some of the conversations and then reconstructed them later on. 

 

On the other hand, I stand by Goffman having an influence on Bourdieu. In Outline of a Theory of Practice, Bourdieu repackages symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology into his own theory in order to critique structuralist anthropology. 

 

Agreed.  Bourdieu tried to synthesize a wide variety of anthropologists, sociologists, and philosophers.  Insofar as he followed a methodology it was ethnography or statistical analysis.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Illusio80

[NotSure]

Good point, you got me there. I've only read one book that used CA, and it was an ethnography...they documented some of the conversations and then reconstructed them later on. 

 

On the other hand, I stand by Goffman having an influence on Bourdieu. In Outline of a Theory of Practice, Bourdieu repackages symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology into his own theory in order to critique structuralist anthropology. 

Nope! He repackaged phenomenology and structuralism into a theory of practice. He simply admired Goffman's sensibility to micro phenomenon (he came across Goffman later in his career, after having developed his theoretical framework in the late 1950s/early 1960s).

As for the rant above: the point is not to "mock" sociology, but perhaps to give an insight (as someone who studied anthropology before and now attending a sociology grad program) about the limits of sociology and especially American sociology.

[jacib]

Conversation analysis: definitely very UCLA.  Two places to check out: 1) the last chapter (or whatever it is) in *Sidewalk* (I figure most of you have that handy).  That's conversation analysis.  Looking not only at what's said, but the pauses, interruptions, etc.

 

2) The only person who I've encountered who is still doing as the main thing they do (that's me, I'm sure there are lots of people doing it) is David Gibson from Princeton (PhD from Columbia, not UCLA interestingly) who, among other things, wrote a big book based on the conversations recorded by the "ExCom" during the Cuban Missile Crisis called *Talk at the Brink: Deliberation and Decision During the Cuban Missile Crisis.*

[dawgle]

Nope! He repackaged phenomenology and structuralism into a theory of practice. He simply admired Goffman's sensibility to micro phenomenon (he came across Goffman later in his career, after having developed his theoretical framework in the late 1950s/early 1960s).

As for the rant above: the point is not to "mock" sociology, but perhaps to give an insight (as someone who studied anthropology before and now attending a sociology grad program) about the limits of sociology and especially American sociology.

 

Ok ok, but reworking phenomenology/structuralism after having been introduced to micro-sociology. He met Goffman in the early 1960s when he was still working on Algeria. Outline of a Theory of Practice is Bourdieu's attempt to correct what he saw as a lack of agency in structuralism. Nonetheless, I was still off on Conversation Analysis.

[NotSure]

Ok ok, but reworking phenomenology/structuralism after having been introduced to micro-sociology. He met Goffman in the early 1960s when he was still working on Algeria. Outline of a Theory of Practice is Bourdieu's attempt to correct what he saw as a lack of agency in structuralism. Nonetheless, I was still off on Conversation Analysis.

Nope! You're still off. I have read vitually everything by Bourdieu, and I work with someone who was acquainted with him personally: he never met Goffman, plus in the 1960s he was in Algeria! That's what the book is about. His background is in philosophy, not mid-20th century American sociology! Phenomenology is precisely the source he used (via Husselr) to counter the lack of agency in structuralism (and that's where habitus comes from). Plus: Bourdieu's work on Algeria was published in France ('58) before anyone heard of Goffman! The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life was his first book published in 1959! God grad students amaze me! Anyway, good luck!

Edited February 6, 2013 by NotSure

[dawgle]

No need for hostility.

Bourdieu spent time at the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton) and University of Pennsylvania in the early 1960s, which is where he met Erving Goffman. Goffman actually encouraged him to take a position at Penn, but Bourdieu declined. Check out David Swartz's book Culture and Power or Calhoun, Lipuma, and Postone's collection Bourdieu: Critical Perspectives. Bourdieu personally helped get Goffman's work translated into French, just as he did for Paul Willis' Learning to Labor.