Program suggestions, please?

[LadyCatherinedeBourgh]

Long time lurker, first time commenter.

I'm in my second round of applications after a near wash out for fall 2013 (wait listed at UT Austin, my top choice). I know that fit was a big problem last time, as I applied more based on rankings/sticker value than anything else. I'm hoping the vast knowledge of grad cafe-ers can help give me ideas of programs I haven't heard about or considered. Beyond professor suggestions, how do you go about program research?

My interests are contemporary/20th century American lit, interdisciplinary-especially with anthropology and sociology, peace and justice/global/trauma/religious studies.

Any ideas would we crazy helpful, as I'm confident about my writing sample and SOP, but feel overwhelmed with program selection. Would love any thoughts/advice!

[viviandarkbloom]

You might give Cornell a go, they have lots of those bases covered and are very open to interdisciplinary work. Jeremy Braddock, Paul Fleming, Peter Gilgen all do sociology-related stuff. Kevin Atell is a very good American lit person (I know there are others too), Liz Attell does law and lit, and Cathy Caruth is big in trauma theory. Worth checking out...

[LadyCatherinedeBourgh]

I definitely will! Thanks:)

[Dr. Old Bill]

Welcome, LadyC!

 

I have it on good authority that Yale is shifting fairly rapidly toward interdisciplinary focuses. In fact, while I can't substantiate this with any sources, I've been told by a few people -- people who would know -- that there is a general shift among many of the top tier programs toward interdisciplinary studies in English. Personally I think that's a very positive development...and it should certainly help you in your search as well. Good luck!

[ProfLorax]

I have a friend doing 20th century American with an emphasis on trauma studies at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. I think she's even started a trauma studies reading group! I'm not sure how interdisciplinary the lit track is (I'm more familiar with the writing studies track), but it may be a program worth looking into. 

[poliscar]

Are you hoping to work with Ann Cvetkovich at UT Austin? (going by the trauma-studies interest...) If so, I'd look at UChicago; Lauren Berlant and Deborah Nelson both do work on trauma, and Chicago is also a highly interdisciplinary program. You might want to check out Stanford's Modern Though and Lit as well, as well as Heather Love at UPenn. 

Hope this is helpful.