Other than US history?

[kent shakespeare]

Matilda,

You and I have the same subfield, and you're right - not much in the way of job prospects ;-)

So Wolfe Tone, eh? I'm interested in Grattan, the Ponsonby brothers, the Fitzwilliam crisis - basically, how and why the reformers failed to prevent the 1798 Rising and Union.

Well, there. Now I've good and outed myself to any committees that are browsing the boards!

I love Irish history!

I was warned it isn't the best track for a career choice, though.

Me: Native + Canadian history, with a dash of medical history too.

[limeinthecoconut]

Southeast Asia history - definitely limited where I could apply to.

Edited February 12, 2010 by seahistory

[Matilda_Tone]

Matilda,

You and I have the same subfield, and you're right - not much in the way of job prospects ;-)

So Wolfe Tone, eh? I'm interested in Grattan, the Ponsonby brothers, the Fitzwilliam crisis - basically, how and why the reformers failed to prevent the 1798 Rising and Union.

Well, there. Now I've good and outed myself to any committees that are browsing the boards!

BlueandBuff- fascinating topic! I love anything connected to 1798. I am still figuring out what direction I want to go in for the PhD- but this year I am developing something on the late 18^th century and historical memory (either the writing of radical histories in the aftermath of 1798, or a comparison between revolutionary and constitutional nationalist presentations of the seventeenth century). In short, very un-trendy “old dead white men” topics that will never get me hired. But I figure you can’t fight against what you like.

Irish history was a great career choice in the 1960s, if only we had time machines.

(P.S. Do you happen to be Canadian? if so, would love to talk about programs over PM, if you are up for it.)

[Sparky]

Irish history was a great career choice in the 1960s, if only we had time machines.

You have one in your icon...perhaps future hiring committees will take that into account?

[Matilda_Tone]

Ha! Very true, Sparky- if only I had a real TARDIS.

Love the Doctor Who quote, by the way.

(We should start a new thread- historians who love Doctor Who I bet there are many)

Edited February 15, 2010 by Matilda_Tone

[BlueandBuff]

Matilda,

I'm not usually Canadian, but I'm playing one this week. A friend's fiancee is on the Canadian snowboard team and is competing in the Olympics, so you caught me the one week of my life where I'm wearing maple leaves!

At least we know what our job prospects are. It's not as if any European or US History subfields have excellent job prospects, so we're well-prepared. Although I thinK TARDIS is a terrific idea!

Your research topics sound fascinating, especially the radical histories work. For the 17th century, what period are you concentrating on? I think if I wasn't focused on the 1790's I would be working on the Flight of the Earls and Ireland's relationship with the Stuarts.

[Matilda_Tone]

It would have been great to finish up an Irish history PhD sometime around 1968- we’d have had jobs as soon as the Trouble broke out. But alas. Now everyone loves Ireland.

In answer to your question- I’m focusing mostly on the Civil War period (though I do find the earlier topics interesting as well). The original plan was to look at presentations of the 1641 rising (this stemmed from my desire to read Matthew Carey's book on it)- but I am in the process of deciding if I should expand that into the later Civil War/Cromwellian period.

I’ll die happy if I somehow get to mention Wolfe Tone’s admiration for Cromwell. I love heretical ideas like that (another reason I’ll never have a job).