As I wait all day for your set of questions and your speculative look-backs on your not-yet-completed academic careers, I’ll pose a few questions of my own, plus answer the question that Dr Ahmad dodged a few weeks ago.
Questions inside of STJ:
1. Should all students have a blog? I’ve found, this semester, that keeping a blog has been great for me, in terms of creating a forum for my own academic memoir-ing and notes. I do wonder, though, if rather than having you all read & comment on my blog, if I should not have had you each create your own & keep them throughout your graduate career here (and after, perhaps). I know some of you are already doing this, but I’d like to have your thoughts about making it a requirement for this course.
2. Who’s is and who’s out? This course, right now, is a requirement for all DA students & more or less off-limits for MA & BA/MA students, though Dane & Gavin managed to sneak in. What are your thoughts about this division of our student populations? Do you like it this way? How would you feel about opening the course up to all MA students?
Outside STJ:
1. Scholarly organizations: I’m a member, or have been, of the Modern Language Association, the Shakespeare Association of America, the Renaissance Society of America, the Group for Early Modern Cultural Studies, the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading, and Publication, the Society for the Study of Science, Literature, and the Arts, the Maritime Historical Society, and I’m sure a few more. How many of you know what scholarly orgs are in your sub-fields, and how many are already members? Should we spend time on this in class? These organizations are your intellectual conduit for the world beyond STJ.
2. STJ alums: One of the liveliest recent stories about a STJ MA alum is Paul Devlin’s recent writing in slate.com, among other places, in response to a new book on rap lyrics, which Paul claims have been mistranscribed. Paul’s a PhD candidate at Stony Brook now. How much use would it be to you to have some contact with recent grads of our program?
My 30-year legacy: It’s a tough question, and I don’t really blame Dr Ahmad for ducking it a few weeks ago, but I think that 30 years down the road I’d like people to remember my contributions to early modern studies in terms of reaching toward a more flexible notion of style in the writing of literary criticism, and also a more capacious sense of public outreach for literary critical work. I’m somewhat optimistic that we’re moving toward a more open form of of diachronic historicism in literary studies, and I’d like to be a part of that. My meaningful outreach will likely be in ecological and maritime circles, but one of the great things about being a career teacher is that I hope to touch any number of other sub-fields through my students as time passes.
You’ve touched on one of the questions I was going to ask tonight about scholarly organizations. I have a list I have compiled in my research on organizations I think I should follow in Comp-Rhet and American studies. I’ve actually joined one, But there are so many of them I’ve been wondering how do you know which are the ones worth joining? They are all reasonably priced, but after a while they add up. How do you get the most bang for your buck?? I’ll pose this question tonight in class.
I’m not sure if we were supposed to post our questions here, or wait for class, but I thought it couldn’t hurt to give a heads up.
In-house question:
-How do the comprehensive exams actually work?
Field Questions:
-What are the types of interview questions we can expect when we go out on the job market?
-What is one thing we can do to really boost our CVs during our time as graduate students?
In 30 years, I hope to have made at least 900 students feel more empowered in their ability to write (figuring that I can reach at least half of my students from 3 classes a semester with 20 students each over 30 years). If students leave my class feeling more confident in their abilities and understanding the power that writing holds as a real-world communication tool, then I will feel like I have succeeded.
As to your questions:
Clearly, I’m biased, but I think a blog is a cool idea. To me, you seem pretty tech savvy, Dr. Mentz, from what I have seen of your website, blog, and powerpoint. I feel like being digitally literate is a major bonus for those of us going into the field and that it can make class more interactive.
I think that MAs who want to use their degree as a building block towards teaching or further degrees would find this class useful, as it doesn’t really seem to apply specifically to DA students, other than the few times we mentioned dissertations.
Scholarly organizations are good to know about, but I think a page of hyperlinked resources and a brief chat would probably be enough. I’m not sure that a great deal of the semester would ever need to be devoted to this topic.
It’s always nice to hear from alumni and to know what kind of possibilities are out there.
And finally, I think you’re succeeding in your 30 year quest =) I really enjoyed reading At the Bottom of Shakespeare’s Ocean, and I love the cross between academic and “creative” writing. It’s something that both the scholar and the layman could pick up. I also think it’s far more dialectic than much of the scholarship that I have read, especially concerning the work of Shakespeare. It doesn’t feel that like you are searching for a “clear” answer but some kind of bigger truth. Not that you need my validation.
All writers need validation, & none of it really works to validate, as I imagine most of you already know from experience. If not, re-read Kafka’s “The Hunger Artist.” Maybe I should put that on the syllabus sometime.
I think the class is best designed for DA students, but having sneak-ins can be a help to diversify, something I always think is a good idea. This course can give MA students an idea of the profession, if they are interested in it.
As far as a blog is concerned, I do see a use for it, at least for the time being as it stays relevant. Having a space for freewriting and exploration would be nice, along with an online documentation of our writing. I find myself reading older posts on Blackboard to remind myself of where I was and where I am heading. A blog could act as a time capsule and a record of one’s progress.
Question 1 –
I think posting on your blog is an interesting way to allow students to possibly connect with the type of work you are engaged in. Although, this becomes evident through the type of readings / activities assigned, seeing a type of research through your perspective I believe so give some insight to the type of work that professionals engage in. That being said, I do think our own blogs would have complimented this action, allowing us to post out research / interests as well, and have our peers become active participants and critics. I also agree that technology in the classroom today is essential, allowing students who are online creatures to not only continue their practices but allow other students who have a hard time participating publicly in front of their peers can establish identity online – allowing them to participate in some way.
Question 2 –
If MA students are seriously interested in pursuing a teaching career then yes, this course should be open to them. It can give them perspective on what a career in pedagogy involves, and allow them to make a more sound choice to enter the profession or not. I think it should be stressed to encourage students only who are considering a career in teaching, including DA students. Perhaps this is an advisement issue.
Question 3 –
Although I am not a member of any scholarly organization, I have a list of groups that I’ll join in the near future. I think this step becomes important when individuals have figured out their academic path (i.e. area of study). There are many organizations, and some are costly, which is perhaps why its important to keep on the back burner unless one knows for sure what academic road they are headed down. I do think it’s a worthy discussion to have in class at some point. If the student blogs are incorporated into class, this allows professors easy access to pinpoint interests, and can advise students on what type of organizations to consider and where to look. Students can keep a running track on their blog…
American Association of University Women – works for the advancement of equity in girls education through advocacy, education, and research
Feminist Theory and Gender Studies (Part of International Studies Association)
National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA)
Question 4 –
This is a great question, and I think it is vital to have alums to still be a part of the academic arena – share their success stories and obstacles they have faced in working toward their goals. It could also be helpful to those who don’t necessarily see themselves in front of a classroom. What type of jobs have they been lead to as a result of the DA?
Question 5 –
Legacy is such a big word. Perhaps I’ll just say that in 30 years I hope to still be a part of educational reform through literary studies and theory. I hope to contribute a positive voice to my students and fellows colleagues, and mostly I hope that I inspire my own children and nieces / nephews through work that I have accomplished and acts of social justice.
Questions inside of STJ:
1. On the one hand, it would indeed have been a good idea to require the students of this course to maintain a blog. That way they can share their thoughts about their final projects and their goals with the profession throughout the course of the semester. On the other hand, I kind of frown upon online requirements for a course. I think that intense online work should be saved for online courses as posting online takes a quite a bit of time out of the busy schedules of graduate students.
I think that the idea of graduate students, in general, maintaining a blog is a great one. The graduate students will really be able to trace their goals and accomplishments and closely reflect on them through the years to determine where they want to go from then on, based on their evaluation of what they have logged earlier. They can also get valuable input from peers, professors, and advisors. However, I do believe that maintaining a blog takes up quite a bit of time. I had started a personal blog over a year ago, but did not manage even one entry with all the commitments that I have as a graduate student and human being. I applaud those that have the time to maintain any kind of blog.
2. As I mentioned last night, I think that this course is great way for MA students to survey whether the academic work of a doctoral student and the profession of academia would fit them well and thus consider whether they want to pursue a doctorate in English after completing their MA. However, I do believe that in terms of registering for the course, the course should be limited to DA students and blocked from other students until all the DA students register for the course in order to give priority to the DA students.
Outside STJ:
1. I am not yet a member of any scholarly organizations, but would like to soon take the step towards becoming a part of them. One of my focuses in the doctorate is the Renaissance so out of the organizations that you mentioned being a part of, the Shakespeare Association of America and the Renaissance Society of America appeal to me. From reading Shakespeare and the Mediterranean last spring for your seminar, I found that the International Shakespeare Association, with its diversity of disciplines in Shakespeare and participants throughout the world, also appealed to me, and I would like to attend the next convention, if possible, wherever it is held in the world. Are you also a part of the International Shakespeare Association, Dr. Mentz, or have you attended any of the conventions? Other organizations that I would like to be involved with that cover the Renaissance are the Folger Institute and the Shakespeare Theatre Association of America. I also would be interested in any Spenser organizations if there are any. Do you, Dr. Mentz, or any of you students, know of any Spenser organizations? For the focus of the medieval period, I have researched and found the Medieval Academy of America, the Medieval Association of the Pacific, the Medieval Romance Society, the American Academy of Research Historians of Medieval Spain, the Oxford Arthurian Society, the International Marie de France Society, International Center of Medieval Art, International Courtly Literature Society, American Early Medieval Studies, and the Canterbury Centre for Medieval and Tudor Studies, all of which appeal to me. The Renaissance Society of America would cover the Middle Ages in addition to the Renaissance. Other organizations that cover both periods that I am interested in are the Medieval and Renaissance Drama Society, Research Institute for Classical, Oriental, Medieval, and Renaissance Studies, the Center for Medieval and Early Renaissance Studies, the Society of Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy, and Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Teaching. From the Romantic Period, I am intrigued by the Wordsworth-Coleridge Association, the Keats-Shelley Association, and the Byron Society. From the Victorian Period, I am interested in Northeast Victorian Studies Association, North American Victorian Studies Association, Interdisciplinary Nineteenth Century Studies Association, and The Victorians Institute. The Nineteenth-Century Studies Organization and 18th- and 19th-Century British Women Writers Association cover the Romantic and Victorian periods. The Maritime Historical Society also appeals to me as, like you, the ocean is one of my passions and I enjoyed the way that you connected the sea to Shakespearean works last spring in the seminar, Shakespeare and the Global Ocean. The Castle Studies Group, the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading, and Publication, Scholarly organizations, the Center for Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Research, the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study, and the Celtic Studies Association of North America also appeal to me. This is quite an ambitious list, I know. I hope to survey all or most of them and decide which suit me best. All that I have named cover the focuses in my doctorate.
2. In regard to my question posed yesterday about where St. John’s University Doctor of Arts alumni have ended up in the job market, I would really like to get in contact with as much Doctor of Arts alumni as possible to explore the results that have met with the degree to have an idea of the possibility that I will achieve my intended professorship in an accredited institution.
3. My 30-year legacy: While working on my dissertation, I would like to discover the secret of the impact of framework in literature and then eventually get my work published into a book. Depending on what I discover, if the secret lies in the value of storytelling and fiction, I would like to reveal this value to the world with my published book and thus allow the world to acknowledge the importance of fiction. I hope to become an English literature professor and teach survey courses that cover the eras from Old or Middle English to Romanticism and courses that focus on one or a few of the periods although I have not decided which yet. As a professor, I would like to set a great example to students through my commitment, accomplishments, and discipline and lead them to understand the immortalization of the word in literature.
That’s a crazy long list of scholarly centers, Padmini, but I think if you click through on some of them you might find some are libraries / places to go, rather than organizations of scholars from different places. It’s also not very practical to join more than a few of these, and usually not in more than one or two sub-fields: I enjoy teaching Romantic poetry & even the occasional Victorian novel, but I don’t pay dues to those groups.
I’d suggest joining SAA and maybe going to the conference in spring 2012 (in Boston), as a dry run before you are ready to submit a paper. We can talk about this later.
I don’t think I offered up a response in class about student blogging, but I think it would be a great idea for the course. I ended up doing my blog as a semester-long project for Harry’s Comp Theory class, and I think it was incredibly useful. I chose to explore the question of what authenticity is in the context of both composition (a little) and performance (a lot). I’ve posted it on our company’s FB page, and definitely is a project I plan to continue though I’m sure my questions will expand from Dec 15 on. If students have some freedom to explore how their blogs will help them as professionals, I think it would be wonderful. I love the blog feed option to follow other bloggers so I chose to follow several other Shakespeare-related blogs this semester. Overall – great idea. Yes. Go for it.