On the perils of interdisciplinarianism:
Hello all,
I'm curious as to what some of you think about pursuing more 'interdisciplinary' fields, such as Medieval Studies or Comparative literature. As an undergrad double majoring in literature and philosophy, I've very much enjoyed the broad range of ideas I've been exposed to and which have in turn, I believe, made me a much stronger critical thinker/all around genius. ; )
I've heard that getting a Ph.D in the aforementioned fields can be a weakness, and that sometimes it's better to just study English and focus on desired areas within that nexus. However, I also think that the structure of programs like these would enable me to continue doing what I've very much enjoyed doing- I like the interplay of philosophy and literature, studying the history of the European witch hunts, applying contemporary feminist theory to visionary women's writing, etc. Logically, it seems these programs are the best fit as they would encourage the flexibility in a broad field of engagement I desire. However, I don't want to be at a disadvantage later on by seeming too all over the place in an already dismal and super competitive job market.
Thoughts? Thanks!
I'm curious as to what some of you think about pursuing more 'interdisciplinary' fields, such as Medieval Studies or Comparative literature. As an undergrad double majoring in literature and philosophy, I've very much enjoyed the broad range of ideas I've been exposed to and which have in turn, I believe, made me a much stronger critical thinker/all around genius. ; )
I've heard that getting a Ph.D in the aforementioned fields can be a weakness, and that sometimes it's better to just study English and focus on desired areas within that nexus. However, I also think that the structure of programs like these would enable me to continue doing what I've very much enjoyed doing- I like the interplay of philosophy and literature, studying the history of the European witch hunts, applying contemporary feminist theory to visionary women's writing, etc. Logically, it seems these programs are the best fit as they would encourage the flexibility in a broad field of engagement I desire. However, I don't want to be at a disadvantage later on by seeming too all over the place in an already dismal and super competitive job market.
Thoughts? Thanks!