bell hooks made it thru grad school
I'm reading an early (1989) bell hooks book for class today, one I hadn't read before. And it's been awhile since I read her, it's been years, and I think it's a rare author who can make you fall in love with them over and over again throughout a lifetime. Every essay in her collection Talking Back is delicious. I just luxuriate in them. I've wanted several times to stop and write about nearly each one but my eyes will catch the title of the next and I greedily go on to devour that one. No time to write. But I'll just take a moment to say this one I just read, "black and female: reflections on graduate school" is so timely for me now, thinking about how I hate academia and why. Even though I don't have those experiences of being a black female, the experiences I have of being who I am in grad school, affirm every word of what she says. And as repulsive as I find this whole grad school experience it was that much harder for someone like her, a black woman talking about class and race and gender. And yet she made it through. She even suggested something very practical that I hadn't even thought of yet. Moving. She moved two or three times during her grad school experience. You know, if she could do this, what do I have to complain about? Maybe there is a program somewhere out there that I'd feel more comfortable in. Maybe?
bell hooks is a great comfort. This essay got me in trouble, of course: http://www.zmag.org/zmag/articles/Mar96Hooks.htm
But I've known many people who switched programs many times, with admittedly mixed results. Grad school, however, should be a joy at least much of the time. One gives up so much -- time, money, security -- to embrace the life of the mind. The least one can ask for is to be in an environment that stimulates you and where you have a fair number of genuine friends.
Posted by: Hugo | Thursday, January 26, 2006 at 10:39 AM
grad school was ultimately, for me, a pretty trying experience. i was your typical white female overachiever, you know, but i had enough good sense to not think that i knew everything. surprisingly, not all people go into grad school that way, and when you combine that with a holier-than-thou demeanor about all things theoretical and "subverise," it can be exhausting. seriously, i never want to hear the word "problematize" again.
after my first year, i knew i didn't want to pursue academia. no offense to those who do, but i just couldn't put up with all of the high-minded theorizing in the comfort of the classroom when real problems went unsolved in the real world. i know you need both - theory and practice - for true progress, but i was so turned off by egotistical wanna-be professors that i ended up biased against getting involved with the former instead of the latter.
anyway, enough of this self-involved ramble. good points, and good post!
Posted by: kate.d. | Saturday, January 28, 2006 at 12:46 PM
I get to see (and listen to) bell hooks on Wednesday in Portland. If you could ask bell hooks 3 questions, what would you ask her?.
Her book, Teaching Community, has changed how I think about working in higher education. I'm getting a masters in college student services administration. Teaching Community motivated me to ask a question about a White privilege on my blog http://oregonstate.edu/~stolleer/blog/index.php/2005/12/01/white-privilege-shapes-the-us/
Posted by: Eric | Sunday, January 29, 2006 at 11:37 PM
Wow. I didn't even know you could major in College Student Services. Administration.
What will they think of next?
As for the three questions... let me think about it and I'll write a post on the subject.
p.s. that's a great book!
Posted by: barb | Sunday, January 29, 2006 at 11:48 PM
BTW, she lives down here now so I've seen her at a couple speaking tours over the years. She's every bit as engaging in person.
Posted by: barb | Sunday, January 29, 2006 at 11:52 PM
found you through your great comments on bitch phd.
not much to add. after getting mired in my grad school program i considered that there'd be another program more suited. but i have a great advisor now so i feel a lot better. and it's a good town. you're right: life-of-mind does demand sacrifice. somtimes it does have a pay off.
just wanted to say hey, and kudos, and good luck. that's all.
Posted by: Ms. Pipestem | Monday, January 30, 2006 at 11:10 AM
One more day until bell hooks speaks in Portland. Does anyone have 3 questions that they would like me to ask bell?
Posted by: Eric | Wednesday, February 01, 2006 at 12:18 AM