MACS in 2012

Cross-post from Sydney MACS Following last year’s launch and initial MACS meetings I’m keen to hear thoughts on what events/ activities you would like to see continue in 2012. For instance, the Melbourne model has decentralised the organisation of MACS events to different individuals and campuses. To adopt this approach, it might be worth setting [...]

Hired Hands: Casualised Technology and Labour in the Teaching of Cultural Studies

Cross-post from Sydney MACS Preparing for a talk later this week, I have just been reading this article by Kieryn McKay and Kylie Brass published in the September 2011 issue of Cultural Studies Review. The authors, both graduates from PhD programs in Sydney, draw ‘a parallel between the appropriation of podcasting technology into the university [...]

Intimacy updated

I finally finished my course outline and reader! I am teaching “Intimacy, Love & Friendship” back-to-back this semester, because the second half of the year I will be on sabbatical. There are some changes to the content this time around, although not as many as I was going to make. The feedback was too good! [...]

Final question

Ho do I convince my parents that my life will NOT be a failure If I do not get a PhD??

Academia and its discontents

How did you know you wanted to go into academia? Other than publishing as much as possible, what kinds of things should you be doing to become an academic after your PhD? How does having a PhD/ academic ‘success’ change your sense of self? If you’re pretty sure academia is not the appropriate long term [...]

Blogging and PhD

Any tips about blogging and using blogging as a part of your PhD?

PhDs

What is the benefit of studying for a PhD in gender/cultural studies in Australia v. overseas (Europe, USA)? What are the best institutions (anywhere) for a PhD in the discipline of gender and cultural studies? (other than /as well as Sydney Uni ) How do you know if you’re well-suited to further tertiary study (PhD)? [...]

Research careers and the big questions

Last week’s class focused on career paths following a research degree. The readings were: • Genevieve Bell. “Be Naked as Often as Possible: Anthropological Advice.” Commencement address, School of Information, University of California, Berkley, 2008. • William James. “The PhD Octopus.” (originally published 1903). • Melissa Gregg. “Why Academia is No Longer a Smart Choice.” [...]

Catch up post 1: What is a field?

Writing an interdisciplinary thesis requires a specific set of skills. In GCS, the combined title of our Department indicates a range of intellectual histories and legacies at play. Many of our Honours students choose to specialise in Gender Studies, since that is the major that has been taught longest at undergraduate level. Meanwhile, Masters by [...]

Writing an abstract

If you are an academic, when in your professional life did you learn how to write an abstract? Did you? Were you ever taught? I’m trying to remember if I was. I don’t think so. Like many things I think I just sent drafts to my supervisor and learned through trial and error. This usually [...]

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