Social Science Space

PhD students at the dissertation level who have an interest in social policy research are encouraged to apply for a grant from the Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy by December 1.

There is a greater world beyond the academia, and that it is OK to pursue alternative paths, Revecca Peabody writes in her new book about negotiating the journey to obtain a PhD and the twisting path to deploy it.

Sociology is a brand. To survive or even thrive in the academic marketplace, sociology needs to take care of its image. But at what cost?

Taking a break from research

So what exactly are the rules by which academic careers work? Where does one learn them? How does one learn them? And how, exactly, is playing by the rules to the benefit of one’s career?

The academic world today is in the process of being colonised by the values, mindset, and operational principles of business.

Many PhD graduates are forced into the troubled world of unemployment while, at the same time, being denied a public voice. How is it that extremely narrow standards of professional legitimacy are used to judge young scholars who simply cannot meet them?

Recently, The Independent published a brief piece on the ‘slave-like’ working conditions of PhD students at UK universities. This sounds dramatic, but it’s hardly news – the problem has been around for years. The question arises why dissent did not emerge earlier and more forcefully.

How to approach the years beyond the PhD. Some thoughts on alignment, coherence, breadth, and depth.