I am a PhD student in history, and should attain ABD status at some point next year, provided that comprehensive exams go well. My current dissertation topic is concerned with the Oxyrhynchus excavations of Grenfell and Hunt. (~1898) That is the likely direction I will go, and I have done a good deal of research so far. However, there is a dark horse candidate that I am hesitant to ask my professors about in person. For a PhD history dissertation, is it possible to focus on historical analysis within the field of literary studies? For instance, could I approach the history of a specific (niche) literary genre as a historian and suggest a field of inquiry that would have sufficient historical analysis to potentially get accepted as a topic?
I know that the specific answer to that question will have to come from my supervisor, of course, I am just generally wondering if such a thing is possible. IF it is, can any of you professors with experience give me some hints on how to structure such a topic to make it sufficiently historical?
FYI, I am not looking to be a tenure-track professor, but merely an adjunct professor, and already have an offer or two to do that once I hit ABD status. I have a professional doctorate in another field, and a steady and full-time job, if that makes a difference in the answer. I don’t intend to become a prominent academic historian or a teacher at a prestigious school, or anything like that. I merely love history and love teaching!
Thank you!
Comments
In principle, sure. I wouldn’t frame it as being “within literary studies” if I were you, since that belongs to a different discipline. But subfields of history do cover this territory—history of the book, for instance. You’d want to frame the project such that it addresses a relevant historiography.
That said, the fact that its an acceptable topic in principle doesn’t mean that your supervisors would be game for overseeing that project. So it is a conversation you’ll want to have with them.