Interests So Niched, Hard Time Finding POIs and Schools

[busybee]

My graduate school search has been mostly about matching up my interests with POIs, theoretical approaches of departments, and whether or not there is funding. My interests are limited to an area of the world that is rarely studied in cultural anthropology (but my research is relevant and important work that needs to be done). Therefore, I only have three schools so far that I am very enthusiastic about. I know I am supposed to apply to at least 5 schools, but I am struggling to pick two more.

How can I email POIs at schools that sort of fit my requirements about a potential project that does not totally match their interests? Should I simply pour all of my energy and resources into these three schools and the NSF? Or should I manipulate my project in emails to them (this is advice I received from my advisor) and make it seem closer to their interests? Two are top schools and two do not have automatic funding, although I would love to work with my POIs at all three schools. I admire all of their work and approaches greatly.

It has been frustrating looking for the tenth time for new schools--especially when I have exhausted all resources in trying to find other schools; reverse google scholar searches of all the projects that even slightly relate to my interests, advanced google searches of faculty and .edu domains of various forms of my key words and interests, etc. I'm not sure what else to do at this point, and would love advice from anyone here. I feel like pouring all of my time and energy into three applications to schools that I am very interested in, rather than spending time trying to manipulate my apps and interest emails, would be better spent. But I'm new with all of this stuff and I honestly do not know. I feel like I'd rather wait and apply again if I do not get into my top choices than accept a position at a "safety" school.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I am tired about stressing about simply finding enough schools at this point.

[AKCarlton]

Have you considered any programs that offer degrees that allow you to essentially build your own path (i.e. Northern Arizona's masters in Research Anthropology, which allows you design your own research goal)? 

Also, I only applied to four programs, and simply applied to the fourth for the same reasons you mentioned. I got into 3 out of 4, including the safety school I applied to, which gave me options to compare and ponder over. So, you never really know...if three feels like it's enough for you, then so be it. You said you're willing to wait another year, so it seems like you know what's best for you at this point in time, but if you're insisting on continuing your search, think about what I said earlier, programs that give you the freedom to create your own project. 

[Ajtz'ihb]

I think the idea that you need to apply to "at least" 5 schools is ridiculous. Apply to the schools that interest you and seem like good matches (and offer decent funding), and not one more. You'll only wear yourself out. And yes, throwing your energy into the NSF rather than a bunch of applications that your heart's not really in is a good idea.

[rising_star]

My graduate school search has been mostly about matching up my interests with POIs, theoretical approaches of departments, and whether or not there is funding. My interests are limited to an area of the world that is rarely studied in cultural anthropology (but my research is relevant and important work that needs to be done). Therefore, I only have three schools so far that I am very enthusiastic about. I know I am supposed to apply to at least 5 schools, but I am struggling to pick two more.

I think you're probably being too narrow in your search overall. Does the entire department's theoretical approach need to match with yours or do you really just need 2-3 people who are comfortable with the approach you want to take (even if they don't themselves use it)? Would you be okay with having a POI who uses the same theories but doesn't do research in the same area of the world? Would it be okay if they did research in a nearby country (e.g., you work in Madagascar, they work in Kenya)? That is, do you want someone who you can copy or are you comfortable having to pull expertise from multiple people (some in the department, some in other departments on campus)? 

Here's why I'm asking. My PhD advisor didn't do research in the same area of the world or on the same focus that I did. I was explicit about what I wanted to do in my applications, naming a topic, a region of study, and a theoretical framework. Only the latter of those was what my advisor did. This may help you picture it. Let's say I did ethnobotanical work in the highlands of Ecuador and my advisor primarily did work with coastal communities in Papua New Guinea. When I applied, I was clear about my desire to do ethnobotanical work in South America and I knew my POI didn't do that and didn't know much about it. But, my advisor was willing to learn about it, in no small part because the research methods were similar due to using the same theoretical framework. To explain further, there were a variety of theoretical approaches in the department including some that I wouldn't be comfortable taking but, it didn't matter to me since I knew those folks would not be on my dissertation committee. Does all of that make sense?

[Ajtz'ihb]

Rising_Star makes a very important point: prospective students too often look for advisors who do exactly the kind of work they want to do in exactly (or very nearly) the same part of the world the student wants to work in. That's perfectly fine. But it's worth remembering that really innovative work can happen when a student is matched with faculty who have similar-but-not-too-similar research interests and geographic areas of expertise. 

[lyrehc]

You don't "need" to apply to a specific number of schools. You may choose to in hope that at least one will admit you, but the number of applications is entirely up to you.

I only applied to one program. I knew that I wanted to attend my school no matter what, and that if I was rejected I would find other ways to get admitted. I was willing to have to take time off and "back door" my way in if I had to (I didn't). So if you have three programs that you really like that maybe all you need to do.

That said, you mention an unusual area of cultural anthropology being your research interest. You might explore whether or not anthropology is the best discipline for you. Do you look at popular culture?Are you more general in terms of social science? Do you look at how culture is communicated? You may find that a doctoral program in popular culture, social science, mass media, or communication will be better in terms of your long-term goals. I *always* knew that I would pursue a doctorate in sociology. A chance encounter shifted me to an entirely different field. It took a year in my program to get used to not thinking of myself as a sociologist but I am very glad that I was open to considering other options.

At the end of the day only you can decide where you are willing to consider attending graduate school. If you aren't willing to go, don't apply. If you're looking at fit, look at recent journal publications on the topic(s) that you find fascinating and explore the academic backgrounds of the authors. You might be surprised with what you find will work for you.

Good luck!

[GradSchoolTruther]

Too often, Ph.D. students think they need to be a clone of their advisor. That's not the case. You're looking to work with a person or people who can grasp what you are trying to do and provide helpful criticism of your work and your methods to prepare you for the academy. 

[busybee]

Thank you all so much for the advice! I have found one additional school with an anthropologist who studies medical anthropology, mental illness, and cultural and religious therapies in Japan--I am interested in the same subject but in a much different place--but whose theoretical approach I admire greatly. I think I finally am satisfied with my four schools.

My advisor keeps telling me, and my anthropology department head, to apply to Michigan and Chicago, even though I have no desire to apply to either of them. They say that even though my interests do not match up, I would get such a phenomenal grounding in anthropological theory and method that it wouldn't make a difference who my advisor was. But then as I sit down to write emails to potential POIs, I come up completely blank and feel like I am wasting my time.

Do you guys suggest emailing more than one professor at the schools in which I am interested? I haven't emailed graduate students yet, either. I think I will do this next weekend. 

 

 

[busybee]

Have you considered any programs that offer degrees that allow you to essentially build your own path (i.e. Northern Arizona's masters in Research Anthropology, which allows you design your own research goal)? 

Also, I only applied to four programs, and simply applied to the fourth for the same reasons you mentioned. I got into 3 out of 4, including the safety school I applied to, which gave me options to compare and ponder over. So, you never really know...if three feels like it's enough for you, then so be it. You said you're willing to wait another year, so it seems like you know what's best for you at this point in time, but if you're insisting on continuing your search, think about what I said earlier, programs that give you the freedom to create your own project. 

I have not heard about these kinds of degrees! I have been considering applying to a master's program as well as a potential backup, but I don't want to spend any money at all on any anthropology degree. Are there other research degrees like this that you know of?

[Ajtz'ihb]

My advisor keeps telling me, and my anthropology department head, to apply to Michigan and Chicago, even though I have no desire to apply to either of them. They say that even though my interests do not match up, I would get such a phenomenal grounding in anthropological theory and method that it wouldn't make a difference who my advisor was. But then as I sit down to write emails to potential POIs, I come up completely blank and feel like I am wasting my time.

Don't bother. If there is nobody there who appeals to you to work with, and you want to do something that doesn't fit with the existing faculty's interests, then among other things it seems vanishingly unlikely to me that you would be accepted in the first place. Better to dedicate your energy to writing the best applications you possibly can for the schools you actually want to attend.

Do you guys suggest emailing more than one professor at the schools in which I am interested? I haven't emailed graduate students yet, either. I think I will do this next weekend. 

Yes. I actually think this should be blanket advice for everyone applying to any graduate program in anthropology. There is a great deal of horse-trading that goes on when it comes to determining who gets a student in any given year, and your application will be far stronger if you have a faculty member or two beyond your POI who can say "Yeah, I remember them. I think they'd be good to have here." That way it's not down to your own POI--assuming they're interested--reading off their impression of you and asking their colleagues to take their word for your potential. And in the event that your own POI is a little on the fence with your application, having multiple voices supporting you can help you find a spot in the department anyway.

[farflung]

I'm at a well-regarded Cultural Anthro program now. We do NOT bring in students who 'fit the mold' of a particular POI. Rather, we tend to ask whether the student is prepared to undertake graduate work, would be served by the current courses offered in the department, and could potentially be happy working with any number of faculty members. 

You never know who in the department may take a liking to the research you propose in your SOP. While I share a regional specialty with my advisor, no one on my dissertation committee works in the same country as me, or on the same primary topic / anthropological subfield. They admitted me because they think the project is innovative & worth doing, and feel that they can contribute to discussions around how to best see the project through. 

[rising_star]

Thank you all so much for the advice! I have found one additional school with an anthropologist who studies medical anthropology, mental illness, and cultural and religious therapies in Japan--I am interested in the same subject but in a much different place--but whose theoretical approach I admire greatly. I think I finally am satisfied with my four schools.

...

Do you guys suggest emailing more than one professor at the schools in which I am interested? I haven't emailed graduate students yet, either. I think I will do this next weekend. 

I feel like there are a lot of medical anthropologists so, I'm sort of surprised you're having trouble finding some you want to work with! I can think of medical anthropologists at University of Arizona, MIT, Case Western, and UC-Berkeley off the top of my head, though without knowing more about your interests I can't say if those places would be a good fit for you. That said, I definitely recommend emailing more than one professor but only if there's more than one you are genuinely interested in working with. Don't waste their time.

Honestly, I wouldn't bother contacting grad students at this stage. Talking to grad students is most useful once you've already been admitted. If you know the program offers funding and has POIs you're interested in, what are you planning to email graduate students about? 

I have not heard about these kinds of degrees! I have been considering applying to a master's program as well as a potential backup, but I don't want to spend any money at all on any anthropology degree. Are there other research degrees like this that you know of?

There's also other interdisciplinary degrees you could consider, like area studies (East Asian Studies or Latin American Studies), or more traditional disciplines like geography, sociology, science & technology studies, etc. You might also be interested in programs like this one at CalTech and this one at Syracuse University. 

I'm at a well-regarded Cultural Anthro program now. We do NOT bring in students who 'fit the mold' of a particular POI. Rather, we tend to ask whether the student is prepared to undertake graduate work, would be served by the current courses offered in the department, and could potentially be happy working with any number of faculty members. 

You never know who in the department may take a liking to the research you propose in your SOP. While I share a regional specialty with my advisor, no one on my dissertation committee works in the same country as me, or on the same primary topic / anthropological subfield. They admitted me because they think the project is innovative & worth doing, and feel that they can contribute to discussions around how to best see the project through. 

This is precisely what I was trying to say earlier. You really need to have an interesting project that can logically connect to multiple faculty if you want to be a strong applicant. 

[farflung]

I feel like there are a lot of medical anthropologists so, I'm sort of surprised you're having trouble finding some you want to work with! I can think of medical anthropologists at University of Arizona, MIT, Case Western, and UC-Berkeley off the top of my head, though without knowing more about your interests I can't say if those places would be a good fit for you. That said, I definitely recommend emailing more than one professor but only if there's more than one you are genuinely interested in working with. Don't waste their time.

Yep - strongly agree with all of rising_star's advice! Med Anthro is a huge & growing subfield -- there are medical anthropologists at nearly all PhD-granting institutions that I know of. Try to think broadly about who your project might appeal to. No need to contact absolutely everyone - one or two e-mails per school was enough in my case. Also, remember that there are very few departments that share a coherent 'theoretical perspective' (those that do tend to be small). Different faculty work within multiple traditions in almost every PhD program I am familiar with. There may be programs that are stronger in political economy/marxist approaches, or whatever approach interests you, but you'll encounter LOTS of faculty with LOTS of approaches in grad school -- that's good!

Or should I manipulate my project in emails to them (this is advice I received from my advisor) and make it seem closer to their interests? Two are top schools and two do not have automatic funding, although I would love to work with my POIs at all three schools. I admire all of their work and approaches greatly.

Two things. One - I agree with your advisor. Tweak your proposed project a bit to make it resonate with their current work. What are the stakes? You are in NO way beholden to anything you say you'll do in your SOP. Two - don't go to a graduate program unless you are guaranteed multiple years of full, automatic funding. Perhaps it's worth applying to places without 'automatic funding' as you say, but I haven't heard of a single good experience from people whose funding is on the line year after year. I say this again and again to every potential grad student who will listen, because I think it's so important. Grad school is not worth extreme extreme poverty and debt. 

[busybee]

I feel like there are a lot of medical anthropologists so, I'm sort of surprised you're having trouble finding some you want to work with! I can think of medical anthropologists at University of Arizona, MIT, Case Western, and UC-Berkeley off the top of my head, though without knowing more about your interests I can't say if those places would be a good fit for you. That said, I definitely recommend emailing more than one professor but only if there's more than one you are genuinely interested in working with. Don't waste their time.

Yes, I know there are plenty of medical anthropologists. I am just looking for ones that have interests that are similar to mine, and if possible, ones that work in my general region. I have found two of them, another who works in my specific country, and another who works on my interests in Japan. I'm starting to feel like I should approach the search in a much broader way one more time to see what I can find with everyone's great advice in mind. 

Also, should I talk about all of these ideas in my SOP? I will email more professors at the schools I like, and mention them of course in my SOP. But as for courses, should I write something like, "I believe the material of course X is particularly salient to my research trajectory and would contribute to my theoretical understanding in Y way because of Z and A." etc? And/or mention the specific work of a couple of different professors and how it has influenced my decision to apply to the department? Should I also describe why I feel their particular graduate trajectories are a good fit for me?

Thanks again everyone for all the help. This has relieved SO MUCH anxiety.

[knp]

Oh, this struck a chord with me, too. Come sit by me and we will complain about our tribulations as people with moderately unpopular interests. I'll bring coffee.

Can I chime in to ask the more experienced posters for advice on how to take that expansive view on theoretical frameworks, etc.? I've done so successfully with one of my two anthropology applications, I think, where there are four professors (who study different topics in different regions) I'd love to work with. (I am also applying to 3-4 history programs.) 

But I'm having problems with my second anthropology application, even though I love the idea of going there: it's a fabulous program generally and my POI wrote the book for my interests. (Different continent, though! I wouldn't be a total clone.) However, this program requires that I list at least two professors whose work is relevant for me, so that I can show I'm a good fit for the department as a whole. Reasonable! But I honestly can't find a compelling link with any of the other professors, despite poring over all their faculty webpages. I would love tips for creativity here: surely it isn't possible that a very large, very highly-regarded anthropology program only has one professor whose work is relevant for me? On the other hand, I'm linguistic anthropology and, faculty-wise, it looks to be about a three-and-a-quarter field program, so maybe it is possible. 

I will note that making my case for my fit with the first department came really naturally. I hope that's a sign that this problem is program-specific, not a mismatch between me and the entire discipline of anthropology.

[fuzzylogician]

I would love tips for creativity here: surely it isn't possible that a very large, very highly-regarded anthropology program only has one professor whose work is relevant for me? 

...

I will note that making my case for my fit with the first department came really naturally. I hope that's a sign that this problem is program-specific, not a mismatch between me and the entire discipline of anthropology.

In hindsight, I can tell you that all the schools that I had a hard time writing the fit paragraph for would not have been good fits. I had enough sense not to apply to one such school, but I did apply to two others, because I felt bad because I had already told my recommenders I was going to apply there. That was silly. It wasted everybody's time and my money and of course I didn't go to those schools. If it's not the case that you generally have a hard time composing fit paragraphs but instead it's just one particular school that you're having difficulties with, I would conclude from that that it's not a good fit. Even if the thought of having a PhD from there sounds glamorous and appealing, it still wouldn't be a good idea. You have to have multiple people you could work with, if only so that you can form a committee to advise your thesis, not to mention to use their connections and get letters of recommendations when it's time to apply for postdocs and jobs. 

With that said, I think people can in general be a good fit in different ways. They can be experts in a methodology that I want to use even though they apply it to another domain, or they can be experts in the problem I want to research but have a different way of looking at it, or they can be experts in something that I know nothing about but I have cause to believe could benefit my research, or be experts in something I've never done before but want to start doing. Having options is good, you never know how things will develop. For this particular school, you should ask yourself what it is that makes you so attracted to it. Are there students who graduated recently who are doing exciting research that you hope to also be able to do? Who supported this work? Is there some special innovation coming out of there that you admire? If you really can't identify anyone other than this one professor who excites you, then even if they accept you I wouldn't recommend going there.

[knp]

This is frustrating—I started out having exhaustively researched and compiled a list of all seven programs in the country that seemed like good fits, narrowed down from 50-ish possibilities. Having lost one of the seven a while ago and another two last week, I might be too committed to "saving" all four that are currently left. (And two of those are at one school, where I'm applying both to Anthropology and to History.) I've kept one of the other two on my list, for now, by deciding to apply even though my POI says he is likely to retire early and thus not be taking students next year. (From our conversation, I think there is about a fifty-fifty chance of this. If he makes the decision to retire before my application deadline, then of course I won't apply.)

So this one I'm having trouble writing the fit paragraph for is my fourth program, the only one on my list that isn't part of Two Program University and has a POI who is taking students. That combination might mean I am too committed to "saving" this application. It's been increasingly seeming like it's Two Program University or bust, especially after losing two programs in a week. I'm a gambler, but rolling on my odds on one university and one complicated retirement situation seems a little much even for me, so I'm grasping at straws to write one (or two!) applications for anywhere else.

And I am particularly loath to strike this one from the list because the professor is my best fit on the planet. Is the lack of other support really enough to strike an entire application, if that's the case? But the thing is, while I don't currently see a good fit with the department, I wouldn't be alone and unsupported except for the one guy. I have a fantastic fit with both that one professor and with the university itself. There are lots and lots of people I could work with in departments all across the university, although no more than one per department. (Meaning that I would have this issue of "well, there's this one cool person" in every possible PhD application I could write for this university, not just for the anthropology department.) So I would love to get a PhD there, and there are tons of resources for me to draw on. When I contacted my POI, he pointed me to them. Except, somehow, none of those resources seem to help me make my case about departmental fit.

However, I'm having trouble understanding how much of a problem my difficulty with the departmental fit thing indicates that I actually have. Although I don't think my fit with the department is great, I think it's possible that I'm missing connections because of my history background. In history, fit is a lot more "okay, so who works in your region?—they have three professors in your region, great, that's a good fit." In anthropology, more of it should be theoretical and methodological. I found it pretty natural to figure out where I'd fit in TPU's anthropology department, but I do think it's possible that the history thing is tripping up my ability to find connections here at this program. So I hope that's the case, and I hope it provides a better explanation for why I'm trying to force it! I don't want to force a fit that isn't there, but I have at least some clues that suggest the problem might just lie in my perception.

[fuzzylogician]

This is frustrating—I started out having exhaustively researched and compiled a list of all seven programs in the country that seemed like good fits, narrowed down from 50-ish possibilities. Having lost one of the seven a while ago and another two last week, I might be too committed to "saving" all four that are currently left. (And two of those are at one school, where I'm applying both to Anthropology and to History.) I've kept one of the other two on my list, for now, by deciding to apply even though my POI says he is likely to retire early and thus not be taking students next year. (From our conversation, I think there is about a fifty-fifty chance of this. If he makes the decision to retire before my application deadline, then of course I won't apply.)

Even if he doesn't retire this year, it seems highly unlikely that he will still be around when you are ready to write your dissertation. I wouldn't count on him. Beyond advising for your dissertation, you want someone who is still active and who will be able to use his connections to help you and write letters for you 8-10 years from now (assuming that you are not that special butterfly who gets their dream TT job right out of school, and even then it's at least 5 years from now). I've seen people who've lost their advisor one way or another, and the struggles they went through to find a replacement letter. It wasn't a pretty sight, and the result wasn't as good as the original would have been, for obvious reasons.

And I am particularly loath to strike this one from the list because the professor is my best fit on the planet. Is the lack of other support really enough to strike an entire application, if that's the case? But the thing is, while I don't currently see a good fit with the department, I wouldn't be alone and unsupported except for the one guy. I have a fantastic fit with both that one professor and with the university itself. There are lots and lots of people I could work with in departments all across the university, although no more than one per department. (Meaning that I would have this issue of "well, there's this one cool person" in every possible PhD application I could write for this university, not just for the anthropology department.) So I would love to get a PhD there, and there are tons of resources for me to draw on. When I contacted my POI, he pointed me to them. Except, somehow, none of those resources seem to help me make my case about departmental fit.

Here it's really a question of how much the department supports or accepts work with professors outside the department. If this is a normal thing that's done all the time, then I wouldn't hesitate to write about it. I would think that part of what makes the department a good fit is precisely that it makes available all these relationships with professors at other departments. On the other hand, if you poke around recent dissertations and you can't find anyone doing this, then I would say that unfortunately despite there being people in principle around, it's still not a good fit because likely you won't actually be able to make use of these resources. 

 

I have to say that it sounds like you are being too narrow in your search. Perhaps the interests you've defined are too narrow, or the combination of interests/methodology are. I think there are several dangers associated with having research that is too esoteric. One is that it'll be hard to find appropriate conferences and publication venues, as well as reviewers for your work. A bigger and I think more pressing concern has to do with employability. You may think this is too far down the line to worry about, and in a sense that is true, but if you have research interests that are too specific, you may find that it's very hard to find a good job. I am not suggesting that you pick your interests based on what people are hiring for this year or last (because it might change and because you can't really quite do that), but be aware and try and remain broad enough to be relevant to a wider community. That should also mean that there will be more people who you can talk to and who could advise your work, so I think it's a good thing to keep in mind even at this early stage.  

[farflung]

However, I'm having trouble understanding how much of a problem my difficulty with the departmental fit thing indicates that I actually have. Although I don't think my fit with the department is great, I think it's possible that I'm missing connections because of my history background. In history, fit is a lot more "okay, so who works in your region?—they have three professors in your region, great, that's a good fit." In anthropology, more of it should be theoretical and methodological. I found it pretty natural to figure out where I'd fit in TPU's anthropology department, but I do think it's possible that the history thing is tripping up my ability to find connections here at this program. So I hope that's the case, and I hope it provides a better explanation for why I'm trying to force it! I don't want to force a fit that isn't there, but I have at least some clues that suggest the problem might just lie in my perception.

Take heart! The "okay, so who works in your region?" / 3 profs in your region standard in History is NOT terribly different in Anthropology, at least in my experience. Like you, I have an not-super-popular research topic that made it somewhat difficult to find POIs at PhD-granting institutions as I was applying to grad school. I have found (not only when applying, but also over the years as a student) that professors who work in my region are MUCH more likely to understand why my project is important. They know the national context where I work, are connected to discussions among intellectuals FROM the country I work in, and they just GET it, even if it's not a super sexy topic in American Anthropology as a whole. My dissertation committee is composed entirely of regional specialists (one in a more narrow sense, two in a broader sense). 

In summary: Don't restrict yourself to POIs with methodological/theoretical resonances - much of that will change as you go through graduate training anyway. I think it's perfectly reasonable to think broadly about POIs according to region/language/nation/culture group in Anthropology. If you're an Africanist, start thinking about programs with lots of faculty working in Africa. If you're a Latin Americanist, think about places with strong LA faculty and Latin American Studies centers. 

[farflung]

Also, have you looked at joint Anthropology-History PhD programs? Michigan has one, I believe, not sure if they're widespread. 

[knp]

Even if he doesn't retire this year, it seems highly unlikely that he will still be around when you are ready to write your dissertation. I wouldn't count on him. Beyond advising for your dissertation, you want someone who is still active and who will be able to use his connections to help you and write letters for you 8-10 years from now (assuming that you are not that special butterfly who gets their dream TT job right out of school, and even then it's at least 5 years from now). I've seen people who've lost their advisor one way or another, and the struggles they went through to find a replacement letter. It wasn't a pretty sight, and the result wasn't as good as the original would have been, for obvious reasons.

Oh yes, I know; if admitted there and only there, I might defer and try again next cycle, in light of these issues. But because my POI is really great and there's a strong backup slate of like four people I'd love to work with, I haven't crossed it off the application list quite yet. I will be quite cautious in where I choose to attend, but I'm not yet at a point where adding another application is either cost- or time-prohibitive.

Here it's really a question of how much the department supports or accepts work with professors outside the department. If this is a normal thing that's done all the time, then I wouldn't hesitate to write about it. I would think that part of what makes the department a good fit is precisely that it makes available all these relationships with professors at other departments. On the other hand, if you poke around recent dissertations and you can't find anyone doing this, then I would say that unfortunately despite there being people in principle around, it's still not a good fit because likely you won't actually be able to make use of these resources. 

I have to say that it sounds like you are being too narrow in your search. Perhaps the interests you've defined are too narrow, or the combination of interests/methodology are. I think there are several dangers associated with having research that is too esoteric. One is that it'll be hard to find appropriate conferences and publication venues, as well as reviewers for your work. A bigger and I think more pressing concern has to do with employability. You may think this is too far down the line to worry about, and in a sense that is true, but if you have research interests that are too specific, you may find that it's very hard to find a good job. I am not suggesting that you pick your interests based on what people are hiring for this year or last (because it might change and because you can't really quite do that), but be aware and try and remain broad enough to be relevant to a wider community. That should also mean that there will be more people who you can talk to and who could advise your work, so I think it's a good thing to keep in mind even at this early stage.  

First paragraph: fantastic suggestion! That sounds like a great way to thread this particular needle (or to decide that I should not, in fact, apply). On the second part, I wrote a long thing about the narrowness of my applications vs. of my interests in general, but because I anonymize my interests, I think it would have been too vague to be interesting or helpful. The short version is basically that I might well be being too picky, but some of it is because I'm skittish about bad research fits after a very difficult undergraduate thesis process, and I think the rest of it is situational, not inherent to the narrowness of my interests. Although it is good to check in on that situation routinely, so thanks for the reminder! (I do read the jobs wikis every year, and I am quite aware of the importance of not setting myself up for that juncture to be any more painful than it's gonna be anyway.)

Also, have you looked at joint Anthropology-History PhD programs? Michigan has one, I believe, not sure if they're widespread. 

Thanks for the advice! It's all very helpful. I've looked at Michigan's program, and I only wish there were more of them. 

But I think with my searching today and yesterday, including the help from this forum, and re-searching my original long list, I've been able to find another 2-3 programs to apply to, which gets me back up to a number I'm comfortable with. Crisis over!