Questions tagged [humanities]
On standards or conventions specific to the humanities, i.e. the academic disciplines that study human culture, and programs that lead to a degree in these fields. Examples include ancient and modern languages, literature, philosophy, religion, and visual and performing arts such as music and theatre.
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U.S. humanities professors: Can you get back into academia if you leave?
I'm a tenured professor in a humanities department at a second-tier research university in the United States. My Ph.D. is from a top-ten program in my discipline. I have an above-average number of ...
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11
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Is it better having a bad PhD done or having no PhD?
I'm close to the end of a troubled PhD experience. However this closeness might be extended to the infinite if I would get to the point of having something that is good enough.
I might be too self-...
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votes
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answers
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Must presenters in the humanities read their papers verbatim instead of summarizing/discussing them?
Thanks to Covid-19, I have been watching many video conferences and online presentations (both formal and not) in the humanities, specifically on printing, paleography, manuscripts, analysis of paper, ...
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votes
6
answers
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Journal editor made bad edits to my (accepted) paper - how do I respond?
Earlier this year I had a paper accepted to a well-recognized journal in a particular (humanities) subfield. I finally received proofs of the article, and was (more than a bit) upset at the edits. A ...
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35
votes
1
answer
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Post tenure job search in the humantities: a waste of time?
I've searched many forums and websites and I am hoping to find a more direct answer to my question.
I am a tenured, associate professor of humanities at a SLAC (yes, I do appreciate this). My family ...
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27
votes
4
answers
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Using my ethnically misleading name in a field where it's relevant
I'm a white person researching Asian history. Let's say I'm married and have taken my husband's name, which is unambiguously Asian (I'll use "Leung" for the examples). I'm unsure whether I should use ...
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votes
3
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Is there a consensus in philosophy and other humanities that PhD dissertations have to be at least 200 pages long?
I've read a blog post written by Robert Wolff saying that for a philosophy dissertation to be considered good, at least in American universities, it should be between 200 to 250 pages long.
We could ...
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4
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What is the equivalent of the laboratory notebook in the humanities?
As a scientist, the idea of a "research notebook," or its functional equivalent, has been well ingrained into me. However, it's not clear to me if this is a universal phenomenon, or if it's limited to ...
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21
votes
11
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Is it good practice to let students consult their text materials during exams?
I teach undergraduate level courses in the humanities. Following practice in my department, I have let students take their texts for consultation during their written exams. They can choose a number ...
user12512
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5
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What are good reasons to write my thesis in English?
I'm studying in Germany. German and English are not my native tongue, but I prefer to write my thesis in English for the following reasons:
My English is better than my German (not a good reason).
My ...
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19
votes
3
answers
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Found mistake in my professors book: Tell her or publish? If so, how?
I just came across quite a big problem for an interpretation my professor puts forward in her recently published book (a book containing original research in the humanities, not a textbook). I am not ...
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19
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4
answers
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Does the term “science” encompass humanities and the social sciences?
I’m not a native English speaker and want to get a better grip on the nuances of the term science.
In my native tongue, the word I’d use for science also refers to humanities and the social sciences. ...
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19
votes
1
answer
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What is the impact of a radical change of opinion for early-career academics?
I'm wondering what are the potential consequences of a change of mind in the social sciences and humanities. More specifically, what would happen concretely if I publish a peer-reviewed article in ...
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4
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What are the main factors that mean Humanities PhDs get published as books?
In both this comment and this answer it is conveyed that it is often the case in the humanities, that PhD thesis are viewed as a first draft of a book and are often published. There are probably a ...
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What are the aspects associated with working in a 'liberal arts environment' in academia?
I am asking with respect to decoding a job ad for an assistant professor position at a US University. The ad essentially asks how my talents and goals relate to a 'liberal arts environment'. ...
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16
votes
4
answers
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What do supervisors have to gain from a success or failure of a PhD student?
I'm finishing a really messed up dissertation. Maybe decent in some sense, but all the PhD has been done without following any of the supposed methodology and criteria. Since I'm in a sort of arm ...
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15
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7
answers
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Professor dismissed error I found in her work. I need more feedback, but the field is small
Background / My problem:
I believe to have found a substantial error in my professor's original research. After getting answers to my previous question, I emailed her about it, but she was ...
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15
votes
2
answers
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How to find research topics and publish more?
I seem to be a bit stuck here. I am reading quite a lot, but I cannot find a topic to write about, which is original and which I could then publish as a paper. I am in the Humanities, so it's ...
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15
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5
answers
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Humanities - taking a year off between PhD completion and academic job
I am a PhD candidate in literature, finishing my degree in August. Due to a combination of factors, I did not line anything (academic) up for the coming academic year. However, I will be spending that ...
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14
votes
2
answers
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Keeping academic credit on work with human rights impacts but fearing repressive regime retaliations
I am from a country controlled by a repressive regime. I was able to leave the country and continue my academic activity in a top US university. Most of my work is focused on equality, human rights ...
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13
votes
2
answers
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Discovered a paper very late into my research - what now?
I am currently writing my thesis and am quite far already. However, I have discovered a paper now which troubles me quite a bit, as it pretty much destroys everything I am arguing for (and very ...
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votes
3
answers
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Asking questions/sending note to the three authors of a paper in economics, three personalized letters?
A famous paper has three coauthors. I wrote a note regarding that paper and want to get some feedback from them. Shall I send the note and my questions in one email to the three authors together (with ...
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5
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How do I cite an article which has been accepted pending revisions, but the revisions aren't accepted yet?
I have an article accepted in a journal, providing I make certain revisions. I have now made the revisions and sent them off, but am awaiting the journal's confirmation that the reviewers are ...
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2
answers
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Is it OK to send the same research proposal to several professors?
I am a prospective PhD student in the humanities and I have already got in touch with a potential advisor in the university I would really like to work in. I have drafted a research proposal (as I ...
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votes
2
answers
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How to respond to peer review - a step by step guide to my first response?
I'm in the process of responding to my first peer review (major revisions). There seems to be a lot of advice out there, (even some stuff here: How to write good Response Letters for the reviewers) ...
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1
answer
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What is the timeline for academic job postings in the humanities in Australia?
What is the timeline for the humanities (specifically literature) job search in Australia? In the US, jobs begin to be posted in September. Any advice for a US candidate looking for a level B (...
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votes
3
answers
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Deciding to not apply to a college that I have met with a faculty member, advice on what to do
I met with a faculty member for a history MA program but have decided not to apply there. Simply put, there are better programs that I would be a better fit for and also it requires an expensive ...
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votes
3
answers
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Is there such a thing as "too much overlap" with the PhD supervisor?
Currently I am applying for PhDs in social anthropology in UK. I have multiple applications going on at the moment. One of my possible supervisors is directly working on the issue I proposed for my ...
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9
votes
1
answer
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How do we keep ourselves humble as researchers and intellectuals?
I recently sat down with a trusted confidant and went over my statement of purpose and personal statement. Although the overall message and commentary was positive, what I realized was that I needed ...
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9
votes
1
answer
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Publishing dissertation chapters instead of a monograph
I am at the end of my second year of a tenure-track position (my institution uses calendar years instead of academic ones) with a heavy load of service. This academic year I was assigned to work on ...
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9
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0
answers
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Where to go after academia in the humanities? [closed]
I am a full prof in the humanities at a small liberal arts college in rural America. I am relishing my sabbatical in a European country with a flourishing economy and appealing culture. I do not want ...
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votes
1
answer
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No reply from PhD supervisor after meeting
I met up with a potential supervisor two weeks ago and they were very keen on my topic (on literature). They took a hard copy of my draft proposal to read and told me I will be contacted in a week. ...
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What is the best way to go about doing research as an undergrad (pointed question inside)?
I am a 19 year old sophomore at a well-regarded state university. I currently have a double major in the arts/humanities and public policy, with a minor in linguistics. I just took the intro to ...
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votes
2
answers
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Dealing with unsupportive committee / adviser after completion of Ph.D.?
I finished a humanities Ph.D. about a year and a half ago, with an exceptionally unsupportive committee and dysfunctional department. I've had some short-term contract/freelance work since, but my ...
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8
votes
1
answer
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Taking year off after PhD and focus on research? Does it look bad?
Say I have finished my PhD and I would love to just write a few papers and do some research before getting a job at a university which will also involve teaching & administrative things. Also, ...
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votes
2
answers
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M2 in France = MPhil Equivalent in US/UK?
I did my PhD in the UK. During my third year, I was an exchange researcher in Paris (PSL).
As I was keen to get further qualifications, I enrolled as an "M2" student (2nd year of a Masters) ...
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7
votes
1
answer
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Does translating an academic work in the humanities or social sciences improve your CV?
I've been asked to collaborate in an edited book that will collect important contributions to the field X, in the humanities/Social Sciences. The volume will be published in French, so I was asked to ...
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votes
4
answers
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How does an engineering undergraduate apply for master in humanities?
I am doing undergraduate in engineering but I want a transition to humanities for masters (history, anthropology).
How do I do this?
Should I take prerequisite courses at a community college or ...
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7
votes
1
answer
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More co-authored than solo papers in the Humanities
I am halfway through a PhD in History in the UK, in a highly unusual subfield. As my competences are quite rare, I have already been asked to help out with, and be a co-author of, two different papers ...
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7
votes
1
answer
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Lack of congruence in mathematical abilities versus writing abilities in faculty [closed]
Because of my background in mathematics and statistics, I have been called upon by my department (the Math/Stat Department) to assist faculty members from the humanities and linguistics departments in ...
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6
votes
4
answers
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When do you need Ethics Approval in Humanities research?
Sorry if this sounds clueless - I actually am. I'm in a historical, literary field so I've never had to worry about doing any ethics approval things because I've never had to deal with real, living ...
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votes
1
answer
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Is it true that people over 30 are not preferred as Phd candidates in Germany?
I'm asking as someone who's planning to apply for a Master in Germany after an academic hiatus of 8 years for personal reasons. So, what I want to know is if I would find it very difficult/impossible ...
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6
votes
3
answers
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Could it be more productive to work independently after PhD?
Picture the following scenario:
X finished his PhD. X is also quite rich and can support himself (as well as his research) independently.
What do you think about this:
Would X's time after the PhD ...
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6
votes
2
answers
512
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Should I cater to student interests?
I am a tenured full professor in the humanities, teaching at an elite liberal arts institution. Currently our department is struggling to attract majors and student scholars in our particular ...
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6
votes
1
answer
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How to get my humanities paper published in the short timeframe before admissions deadline?
I have around two months before the application deadline to a masters program in humanities, and I want to increase my approval chances. I don't have papers in the program major (got one paper in ...
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6
votes
1
answer
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Will journal editors contact you if your book review has been rejected?
I was sent a book to review for a journal. Book reviews of the particular journal are peer-reviewed. It has been 3 months after my submission but I still haven't heard from the editors.
How long ...
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6
votes
3
answers
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Transferring / re-applying to PhD programs - Humanities
For humanities PhDs:
If you find that your research topic has changed such that you no longer are a good fit in your program, is it possible to re-apply and get accepted into the same program at ...
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6
votes
1
answer
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Is it possible to find an unpaid and "half-time" postdoc?
I've defended my thesis, and I would like to do my postdoc abroad. But the problem is that I am married, and I have two little children. So, I can't just leave my family for a couple of years, and ...
5
votes
2
answers
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Are doctoral programs in the USA like a Masters leading into a PhD?
Before I begin, feel I should make it clear that I have no doubt that undertaking a PhD. anywhere, let alone at Harvard, will be a difficult and strenuous task!
To briefly explain, I have graduated ...
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votes
3
answers
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What do people with bachelor's degrees in humanities actually end up doing? [closed]
If someone majors in political science or international relations or history, what do they end up actually doing as a career?
I've found numerous sites that give the obvious answers what they can do, ...
