I’ve rarely left the immediate vicinity of my home since March, but I’ve been staying involved with different academic communities thanks to online conferences. Back in September, I presented my first virtual conference paper. Last week, I presented my second virtual paper, and participated in my first conference with the regional art organization SECAC. Formerly… Continue reading SECAC 2020
Category: Research
Confronting My Fear of Theory
Sometime during my first year of my Master’s program I decided I was “not a theory person.” I don’t remember exactly when or why this happened. Maybe it was because my classmates seemed so much more assured of the readings than I did. Perhaps it was the way I struggled to write about theory. Or… Continue reading Confronting My Fear of Theory
Finding Home: An Equality Lab Virtual Conference
The Equality Lab has been keeping busy this semester with various remote activities. In September, Ravynn K. Stringfield hosted a workshop on cultivating a professional identity on Twitter. Just this past Friday, October 23, we hosted “Finding Home: Placemaking in the Spatial Humanities,” the first of a series of online mini-conferences we’ll be hosting throughout… Continue reading Finding Home: An Equality Lab Virtual Conference
Taos Center for the Arts Talk
A few weeks ago I shared some of my recent experiences with virtual conferencing. Today, I’ll talk about another virtual event that I just participated in last week, a conversation about the Community Art Center Project in New Mexico. This event was hosted on Zoom by the Taos Center for the Arts. What was especially… Continue reading Taos Center for the Arts Talk
So What Exactly is a Dissertation Prospectus, Anyway?
At the beginning of this year, a time that feels like a million years ago now, I wrote a post called “So How Exactly Do You Get a Ph.D., Anyway?” In that post, I described the basic steps you go through to get a degree in American Studies at William & Mary. Today, I’d like… Continue reading So What Exactly is a Dissertation Prospectus, Anyway?
This Year’s Assistantship: The Equality Lab
A new academic year means a new assistantship at William & Mary, and while conditions are very different from previous semesters, I’ve still got plenty to do for the College. Today then, I’d like to talk about my assistantship with the Equality Lab. The Equality Lab, as the name implies, is an organization on campus… Continue reading This Year’s Assistantship: The Equality Lab
Museum Exhibition Design: Histories and Futures
COVID-19 has changed the way we do a lot of things, or at least think about how we do things, from working remotely to providing education. Academic conferences are no exception. While some organizations like the American Studies Association or the Space Between Society have opted to postpone their gatherings until next year, others have… Continue reading Museum Exhibition Design: Histories and Futures
New Digital Project: Facemask Drawings
I’ve been in a holding pattern since finishing my written exams on August 27 because I still need to complete the oral component, which is happening this Wednesday. In the meantime, I’ve been catching up on nonacademic projects that I’d sidelined while reading for comps. My main website, for instance, now features a brand-new page… Continue reading New Digital Project: Facemask Drawings
Rethinking the New Deal
Last week’s post explored some recent texts that examine the growth of the federal state. Today, I’d like to take a look at some works that address the period frequently credited with the development of the modern State: the New Deal. The driving questions underpinning these texts is assessing the historical impact of the New… Continue reading Rethinking the New Deal
Thinking (and Reading) About Digital Humanities III
Last week I talked about some of the critiques that have been made of digital humanities, including its replication of previous academic biases, the overrepresentation of white, particularly male perspectives, and its complicity in the corporatization of the university as an institution. There are few things more annoying than pointing out flaws without offering solutions,… Continue reading Thinking (and Reading) About Digital Humanities III