Greetings, call for fellow Continentalists!

[Hypatience]

It was an account of mine that started the thread that Monadology links, but it is inactive now (not sure I still have the password). If you send me a message on this account I should be able to receive it, though. But I would really recommend that somebody in the current crop of women start a similar group. It really was immeasurably valuable, and having only prospectives in it and nobody with a current PhD affiliation of their own made everyone much more candid. Regardless, I'd be glad to connect via forums messages and Facebook with any women prospectives, and to do what I can to either answer questions myself or put them in touch with women who are at schools they're considering. (Although I'm very busy because of the end of my semester, so I might not be very prompt to reply!)

Edited December 13, 2014 by Hypatience

[MorganFreemanlives]

is anyone familiar with the philo department at the University of Chicago? i know they have strong placement, unusual admission practices and are phenomenal in german idealism, but what else is there to know? why are they so successful in placement for example

[isostheneia]

is anyone familiar with the philo department at the University of Chicago? i know they have strong placement, unusual admission practices and are phenomenal in german idealism, but what else is there to know? why are they so successful in placement for example

 

Yeah, I'm very familiar. I'm not exactly sure why they're so strong in placement, but they put a heavy emphasis on pedagogy and making sure students hit the market with excellent teaching skills. That way job candidates don't have to rely solely on research skills. Perhaps that helps. The professors who run the placement program are also just very well connected, and perhaps that's more important.

 

In terms of admission practices, they emphasize the writing sample even more than usual. I'm under the impression that if they really like your sample, not that much else matters very much. I do think they're looking for students who are "teachable" - that is, they don't want folks who have already decided all their positions on all philosophical topics and know what they're going to write in their dissertation.

 

They're indeed strong in German Idealism. They're also big on ancient (Aristotle especially), philosophy of action, and Wittgenstein. They've lost a few professors in recent years (Forster to Bonn, Schechtmann to Wisconsin, Frey to South Carolina, and Cohen died last year), but they're doing three job searches this year, so they should be bringing some new faces in coming years.

 

I'd be more than happy to answer any other questions about the department as well.

[jjb919]

isostheneia, I have heard from a former professor of mine (who graduated from Chicago), that because there is such a large faculty there, certain factions and allegiances have been formed and it can potentially be difficult for a student working with professors who may not be in the same 'circles'. Have you heard anything like this?

[isostheneia]

isostheneia, I have heard from a former professor of mine (who graduated from Chicago), that because there is such a large faculty there, certain factions and allegiances have been formed and it can potentially be difficult for a student working with professors who may not be in the same 'circles'. Have you heard anything like this?

 

Not exactly, no. To my knowledge, there are circles of a few professors + grad students working in some particular area (so, for instance, a circle doing Aristotelian philosophy of action, or a circle doing German Idealism, or a circle doing Wittgenstein), but I don't get the sense there's any animosity between them. I think that professors are generally quite happy when a grad student who hasn't done a ton of work in their area expresses an interest in learning it. But I do think that there are groups who tend to associate with each other more heavily than with others.

 

So I don't think there would be any difficulty working with professors in circles that one isn't already in. That said, I don't think one could waltz into a graduate seminar on, say, Hegel's Science of Logic without any background in German Idealism and expect to have one's opinions taken very seriously. But as long as students are knowledgeable and/or eager to learn, I don't get the sense that there would be any difficulty.

 

(Of course, since your former professor graduated from Chicago (PhD I'm assuming?), s/he could very well know things that I don't.)

Edited December 17, 2014 by isostheneia

[Ungüey]

I would very much appreciate opinions on which the best programs for continental philosophy currently are. In particular, any I sight on DePaul and Emory and how the stand up against each other? Thanks!!

[philstudent1991]

I would very much appreciate opinions on which the best programs for continental philosophy currently are. In particular, any I sight on DePaul and Emory and how the stand up against each other? Thanks!!

A professor at Vanderbilt told me that DePaul is the best program for continental philosophy, FWIW

[Ungüey]

Thanks a lot, @philstudent1991 !!

[VentureIntoNothingness]

Hello Everybody! Does anyone have any recommendation for schools/faculties whose study focus includes Schopenhauer?

[overoverover]

Hello Everybody! Does anyone have any recommendation for schools/faculties whose study focus includes Schopenhauer?

BU has Paul Katsafanas, who at least includes Schopenhauer in his syllabi pretty often (for example, in his Nietzsche seminar last year they read S, and he's currently teaching a 19th century survey course). I think Dan Dahlstrom also at least knows S pretty well, and that dude has written about almost everything.

[ewigewiederkunft]

Hello everyone.  I'm currently waitlisted at Emory and it's my top choice.  Is anyone accepting or declining an offer there?  Thanks in advance for any info.