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I would not presume
to tell anyone not to get an arts or humanities Ph.D., if that's what you
really, really want to do. But don't do what many of us did. Do it
with your eyes open. If you dream of being a professor, have a realistic idea
of what your prospects are for academic employment -- and have a backup plan.
You knew that the job market was "difficult," or "bad."
But you'd be good enough, smart enough, to do all the
"right" things, get a perch and hang on . . .
And you might. But it's also likely that you're a TA with too big a
workload and no health coverage. Or a frazzled ABD. Or a new arts
or humanities Ph.D facing a grim job market. You might have decided to
chuck it all, and look out into the "real world" -- but you have
no idea where to go from here. Or you might have decided to maintain your
scholarship, no matter what-- a so-called Independent Scholar. Welcome
to the "Ivory Doghouse."
I created this site as an information resource for all of the above, and for
those still considering getting a doctorate in the humanities or arts.
The long-term commitment to graduate study-- and the time between the degree
and job-- can be long, lonely and isolated.
Here's what you will
find here:
- A representative collection
of links to news, commentary and research about the academic job market
in the humanities and arts, and the trends affecting it.
- The user can make a quick
survey on how different professional societies are handling
employment issues.
- A selection of readings and
contacts about academic labor, particularly the
unionization of non-tenure-track teaching personnel.
- I've also included some
places for the grad student or postdoc to find community and advice.
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