Kierkegaardian Hermit Krab Looking for a Shell

[CathBolognese]

Hej!

I'm an Australian student looking to study in the US, specifically around NYC (where my gf currently lives). I have an undergrad in philosophy at USYD and a Masters by Research in English at the University of New South Wales. My project was on the relationship between Hegel and Kierkegaard's respective modes of representation and the "ancient quarrel between philosophy and poetry." It centred on questions of the exception and repetition, taking 1843's Gjentagelse as its primary focus.

Along the road I've picked up a lot of interests and areas of study. I've written conference papers on Badiou, Media, Hegel, Benjamin. I've also worked on psychoanalysis, Marxism, communist history and deconstruction. Broadly speaking, my overall project is concerned with the construction of universals across the gulf of difference, and the way that language/analysis might accommodate this. 

Because of this pick-and-mix I've been looking at places like the New School, but won't be able to support myself without funding so that seems to cast doubt. I've also heard that people have reservations about UPenn At the moment I'm looking at 

1. Media at Brown with Joan Copjec

2. Philosophy at Columbia with Honneth or maybe Lydia Goehr

3. Philosophy at CUNY, not sure who with

4. English at NYU, not sure who with

5. Religion at Princeton with Eric Gregory

I've done the GRE and got V-170, AW- 5.5 and Q- 149 (lol).

Does anyone have recommendations on other programs that might accommodate a project as confused and baroque as this?

Cheers!

 

Edited November 13, 2017 by CathBolognese

[Glasperlenspieler]

I worry that your interests won't be well suited to many American philosophy departments. You can certainly find people who work on Hegel and Kierkegaard and, to a lesser degree, Marx, however Badiou, media studies, Benjamin, deconstruction, etc. don't really get taken seriously in many philosophy departments with the exception of some SPEP programs. Of those, you might look at Penn State, the SUNY schools, Fordham, BC, and BU (depending on how far from NYC you're willing to stray). I suspect that Columbia and CUNY would want to see at least some background in analytic philosophy even if you plan on working on more continental philosophy, but I could be wrong about that. I'd also check what Honneth is up to. He's got to be close to retirement age and I thought he was only half-time at Columbia anyways.

I'm not sure what you've heard about UPenn. I certainly wouldn't apply to their philosophy program with your interests, but you might find their comparative literature program worth a look.

How's your German? NYU's German program also seems like a potentially strong fit for you.

[Rabbit Run]

Since you mentioned it, I'd advocate for Princeton's religion department. Hegel is a popular figure in the religion department due to Jeff Stout's interest (although he is retiring this year). Leora Batnizky does work with some of the philosophers you've mentioned as well as Spinoza, Levinas and some more continental types. You'd also be able to access the philosophy, English, and German departments as well with ease.