Field Change

[Curiouslyoptimistic]

Hello all, I know we're in the middle of application season and this might get lost in the hustle, but i'm hoping you could give me some ideas.

 

I am currently in my second semester in a moderately well respected terminal master's program in Political Science and its becoming more and more apparent that the type of work I want to do for my dissertation would be better advised in a Sociology department.  I'm interested in emerging forms of labor and their theoretical implications against the backdrop of changing forms of Capitalism (my topic is messy, but interesting, i'd really rather not go into much more detail on here).  I am hoping to use interpretive ethnographic methods, but i'm really not opposed to quantitative analysis where applicable.

 

Anyhow, Political Science is absurdly competitive but I was wondering what type of schools I might target in Sociology.  Any insights as to some good programs for this type of political/economic sociology would also be helpful.  

 

Thus far I've located: UT Austin, UOregon, UArizona, UC Sand Diego, UVA, Emory, and Cornell as potential suitors.  Should I begin with this range or should I move to a more "safety" oriented list of schools?

 

Stats:

Graduate GPA: 3.77 (should be close to 3.9 by the time of application)

Undergraduate GPA: 3.72

Verbal GRE: 161

Quantitative GRE: 151

AW GRE: 4.5

[Illusio80]

Give UC Berkeley a good look.  You might want to give the GRE another shot.  Your scores are close to mine, and I'm having a rough time of it with sociology programs right now.

[Curiouslyoptimistic]

Yeah working with Michael Buroway would be a dream.  I think I could do really good work there but i'm not sure I should put much stock in my chances of admission there.  I've rescheduled the GRE so we'll see how that goes.

[heathenist]

Maybe look into University of Washington.

[RefurbedScientist]

UC Irvine has a strong political soc contingent that would be amenable to students from poli sci. They also have people doing world systems and labor.  

 

NYU has a Marxist political economy group and plenty of great ethnographers. 

[Curiouslyoptimistic]

UW and Irvine look great.  NYU is pretty much exactly what i've been looking for, thanks a lot, really great suggestions so far.  

[RandomDood]

You may want to check York University's Political Science department (in Canada).

Very, very "radical", as well as strong in global issues and comparative political economy.

 

If you would be willing to go on the other side of the Atlantic you could take a look at SOAS, which is like the "York of Europe" :-)

Edited February 19, 2013 by RandomDood