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	<title>Love of History &#187; PhD</title>
	<atom:link href="http://loveofhistory.com/tag/phd/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://loveofhistory.com</link>
	<description>A historical perspective of current events</description>
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		<title>The Upgrading (from MPhil to PhD)</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/the-upgrading-from-mphil-to-phd/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/the-upgrading-from-mphil-to-phd/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:18:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ancient history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[committee]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gymnasium]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hellenistic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MPhil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PhD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[upgrading]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=336</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My friend Dora is a Distance Learning student in our School at the University of Leicester; writing her PhD on Hellenistic Gymnasia. Today is her upgrading from MPhil to PhD. She will meet the committee around 10, when, hopefully, they will acknowledge her superior knowledge of the Hellenistic period and her innovative ideas on the development of the Institution of Gymnasia. I am confident that she will pass with flying colours. Dora’s self confidence, on the other hand, is non existent. Since months ago she has been bombarding me with the same question over and over and over again: What if they ask me something I do not know? Fair enough! Since we are only mortals, our knowledge of the world is limited. With regard to Hellenistic Gymnasia, though, Dora is an undisputed expert, since she has been gathering the ancient sources and has been reading relevant books and article for the past five years (long before she enrolled for the PhD). Even if some unlikely fact may have escaped her, she still has an excellent overview of the subject. The role of the Upgrading Committee is not to check all the facts about the topic. Instead, they are there to ensure that: a) the main hypothesis is reasonable, b) the argument flows without hindrance, c) there are no logical leaps in the sequence of statements, d) the methodology is valid, e) the material is adequate, f) the theoretical model explains ancient developments and structures and, last but not least, g) the thoughts are original. Even if one of the above is problematic, Dora will still have three months at her disposal to make some corrections and resubmit her MPhil research. All in all, no student should be fearful of the Upgrading. This is an amazing opportunity to discuss the PhD topic with professional ancient historians who can give valuable advice and direction. If Dora takes into account their suggestions and reorganises her research, her future success will be assured.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Greek Archaeology in Crisis</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/greek-archaeology-in-crisis/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/greek-archaeology-in-crisis/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:56:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Archaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[archaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[greek cirsis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PhD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Salamis]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=218</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For the past few months the Greeks have been the target of many demeaning jokes across the European Union. The near-bankruptcy of Greece caused the indignation of our European ‘Allies’, because of the fear that they will have to pay for my country’s alleged bailout. We have been called many things: disorganized, irresponsible, crooks, swindlers, fraudsters, cheaters. The image they forged for us hurts! My new identity as a fraudster is impossible to swallow or accept without protest. I have been abroad for the good part of the past fourteen years in an attempt to serve the discipline of history to the best of my abilities. I consider myself in voluntary exile, as I reside away from the people I love the most. Whether I was in Ireland, Italy, England or Germany, I always longed for the strong Greek sun, the unpredictability of our seas, the understanding of my family. And yet, I chose to stay away, not because I wanted to build an illustrious career but because I wanted to live with some dignity. I knew what my fate would have been, if I stayed in Athens. Apart from a few lucky exceptions, most of my friends have been suffering a life of extreme poverty, even by academic standards. Do not get me wrong. They are all highly educated, as they speak 3-4 languages, they hold MAs or PhDs from the best universities, they publish their own research and they have a general knowledge that many would be jealous of. Despite their qualifications, they do not have a stable job. Many work as private tutors for high school kids. Others get the occasional 6-month archaeology contract to work hundreds of miles away from home. In the meantime, they stay with their parents (even though they approach their fortieth birthday), since they cannot afford to pay for their own rent. In view of the latest developments in the Greek economy, I started wondering how many of them swindled the Greek State or the European Union for profit. Obviously, none! Where are the culprits, then? Who spent the money? Who led the country into bankruptcy? Last night I have been watching a Chardavellas documentary. For those who do not know him, he is a journalist, who specializes on paranormal phenomena (!). Unlike his usual topics of astral projections, psychic abilities and life after death, he surprised us all by uncovering the truth for the condition of the tombs of the warriors of Salamis. As most of you know, Salamis is the island where the Greek city-states stopped the Asian forces, before they managed to conquer the entire Europe in 480 BC. Effectively, they altered the route of history. The modern Greek government initially declared the site, where the tombs of the Salaminomachoi lie, as a protected archaeological area. In theory, this is a sacred place. In practice, for the past twenty years it became the theater of a new battle; a battle between the local citizens and the powerful shipbuilding companies, one of which belonged to the family of Karamanli (politicians who defined Greek politics from the end of the civil war until today). Chardavellas last night presented us with a grim picture of decaying boats, rubbish and polluted waters on the archaeological site. Then, he unveiled the web of corruption and bribery that underlines the situation. Apparently, the Greek State spent millions of the taxpayers’ money in order to sustain and promote the use of the site as a shipbuilding yard, despite the protests of the locals. At another time, the Ministry of Culture even ordered the police forces to demolish the (90,000 euro) monument that celebrated the battle of Salamis. The locals, in vain, clashed with the police. With this example I would like to set things straight. You should not look among the majority of Greek citizens for the culprits of the current economic crisis. The perpetrators are the politicians and the affluent who took advantage of the dysfunctional system in order to achieve unprecedented profits. The Greek citizens never consented to this situation. In fact, Konstantinos Karamanlis (Greece’s prime minister until last October) was voted into power 6 years ago because he claimed that he would fight against corruption. The results of his policies are only too obvious!]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Gifts for PhD students</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/gifts-for-phd-students/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/gifts-for-phd-students/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:07:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gift]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PhD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[student]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=155</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A friend recently asked me what gift would I give to a PhD student. That was an odd question, I thought. But then I realised the awkwardness of the situation and the dilemma in which my friend was. PhD students are different and effectively they have different needs. So, here is a list of what I think is suitable. • Chocolates. There is nothing better than the pleasure a piece of chocolate can give. In addition, it works also as powerful brain food. • Half a bottle of wine. This is just about right. A bottle will be too much and it will dull any kind of intellectual activity, while half a bottle is enough to relax the brain and bring euphoria. • Memory pillow. After sitting in front of the computer for too many hours, the student will need a good night’s rest on a pillow that will not hurt his/her neck further. • A cd with relaxing music or with guided visualisation (preferably involving a sandy beach in a sunny day). Relaxation is essential, especially during the third year. • A 3 month subscription to Love films or Amazon films. If there is no more time to go to the cinema, then the PhD student could enjoy a good movie at the comfort of his/her own home. And a word of advice: Avoid giving books at all cost! These can only remind the student of the dreaded deadlines and the pile of responsibilities s/he is facing.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Relocation, Relocation: The Fate of an Academic Gypsy</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/relocation-relocation-the-fate-of-an-academic-gypsy/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/relocation-relocation-the-fate-of-an-academic-gypsy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:53:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to get a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[academic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ancient history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arcaheology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[classics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PhD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[relocation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[researcher]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=124</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last Sunday I went for tango in Market Harborough. There, I have been introduced to a young dancer with excellent leading skills. Curious about his style, I asked him where he took tango lessons. He mentioned that he started in Paris and then he continued in Canada and the UK. Then it was my turn to reveal the whereabouts of my teachers: Ireland, UK, Italy, Germany and Greece. The next question took me by surprise. He asked me: Are you a Researcher? How could he have guessed? Was it my scholarly glasses? My lack of fashion sense? Or my excellent grasp of the English tongue, despite my Greek origins? No, he said. Only researchers travel so much and stay in a place long enough to take tango lessons! So, is this the fate of all Academic researchers? I am sure there are some bright exceptions, who were lucky to study as undergraduates and postgraduates at an Institution that eventually gave them a job. For the rest of us, the road is our only option. As early as the end of your BA, they advise you to seek another university for the completion of your MA studies. And as soon as you get your First, they ask you to move once more, so that you can find a supervisor in yet another university. By that time, you may start wondering whether they dislike you intensely and thus try to get rid of you. I can assure you this is not true. Your teachers probably think that you will need the experience of adapting in a new working environment, since for the rest of your life you will be moving from one city to another, one country to another, or one continent to another. (There are no universities in different planets, yet!) Jobs in Ancient History, Archaeology and Classics are scarce and they are advertised once in a blue moon. When I finished my PhD I sent applications in ca. 30 universities, in 2 different continents, in 4 different countries. The chances of staying in UCL, where I finished my thesis, were negligent and I have not bothered applying not even for a part time post. From then onwards I found out that the only way to stay in Academia was to get whatever was on offer in whatever place it was offered. The repeated moves took their toll, physically, emotionally and socially. Only determination and blind idealism kept me going over the years. Finding a permanent job is not a guarantee that you will stay permanently in the same city either. Sabbaticals are usually spent in foreign countries, excavating, using the libraries, becoming part of laboratories… And when the time comes to ask for a promotion, then another move may be in the horizon. The only opportunity for a researcher to remain in one place and grow roots is after she/he departs for the Underworld. Or is it that also the beginning of a new journey?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://loveofhistory.com/relocation-relocation-the-fate-of-an-academic-gypsy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Christmas and Loneliness for PhD Students: Curse or Blessing?</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/christmas-and-loneliness-for-phd-students-curse-of-blessing/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/christmas-and-loneliness-for-phd-students-curse-of-blessing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:54:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[christmas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[loneliness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[merry christmas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PhD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[students]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=69</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Writing a PhD is a lonely process! Most of us dedicated scholars have been through the endless nights in front of the computer screen, we declined offers for a pint in the local pub or a cup of coffee in the corner café, and we missed the wedding of our best friend because we happened to be abroad on a conference. How much more antisocial could we be? Despite the lonely nature of the PhD, valiant departments are determined to create a social environment for the almost forgotten students. They organize the weekly seminar, during which PhD students sit attentively for an hour and half in order to contribute to the discussion with one enlightening question, and later they mingle with staff for another half an hour over drinks. Some dedicated colleagues organize film evenings, so that students stay in front of the screen for two hours every week with the passing hope that more drinks will follow. We make provisions, so that they share an office with the rest of the students under the unwritten agreement that they will not speak to each other, while they conduct their research. Eventually, silence and isolation become the norm. By the third year, the once social animals, remain animals but lose their social aspect. During the four long years, Christmas comes as a shiny light in the lives of humanoids. And almost every year the message is misinterpreted and the chance is lost. Especially this year a large number of students will spend their holidays in their university town, because they do not have the money to pay for their flight home. The highlight of their day will be Chinese food and a movie (in the States) or a curry and a movie (in the UK). But the economic crisis is not the only one to blame. Even back home most of them will be tempted by the shiny computer screen, or they will feel guilt about their self-imposed idleness. They will go through the annual festivities mechanically, until the guests leave and they are allowed to go upstairs to their old room. There they will indulge in more serious activities (reading or writing) than the dull conversation that went on downstairs about the birth of a new child or the death of a distant relative. In some cases, the lonely PhD warriors are the lucky ones. They will avoid the old familiar fights during food preparation about the perfect recipe or the spoiled ingredients. They will not be submitted to the stress of decorating the house, shopping for gifts, inviting the guests and, in general, organizing the festivities. They will not collapse overtired in front of the television in the evening, after they cleaned the house, washed the dishes and locked the door. Come to think about it, it is a pity I am no longer a PhD student. My only way out may be to emigrate during the holidays and spend Christmas in a Muslim country! Merry Christmas everyone!  ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Academic Prostitution</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/academic-prostitution/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/academic-prostitution/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:27:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[academic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[belle de jour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[london]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PhD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prostitution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[research council]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=60</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I admit I was fascinated by the story of Belle de Jour, the high class call girl, who became famous through her blog, book and TV series. I may not have read the book but I was fanatic about, initially, the blog and, then, the series, in which a sassy Billy Piper lives the high life in vibrant London. Throughout this time I thought that Belle was a fictitious character born by the perverse imagination of a male author. You can guess my surprise and subsequent curiosity when I found out not only that she is made of flesh and blood but also that she is a respected scientist in the University of Bristol. A colleague that crossed the river of respectability and attempted the unimaginable! I was not alone in my reaction. The story excited the imagination, if not the sexual fantasies, of a number of academics who got engaged in a heated debate about the topic. As it became known that Belle entered the profession during the last year of her PhD, there were concerns about the financial situation of our postgraduate students. Does Academia push them to prostitution in order to complete their research? Conveniently, Belle answered a resounding No! She claimed that she did not finance her studies through her nocturnal adventures. After all, the fees for her PhD were paid over the first three years, while the fourth probably came for free. And yet, how many PhD students do you know that finish within the allocated time? At least in ancient history the fourth year is almost obligatory, as statistics would indicate. Despite the fact that a thesis takes longer than expected, research councils continue to fund only the first three years. Should we be surprised that some of our students would turn to other means for their survival? During their final year they desperately need three things: money for food, time to write and company to keep their sanity. What are their options?  If they get a job it will take them longer to submit their work, with dire consequences for their career. If they opt for the part time option, they will end up malnourished (a friend of mine survived on potatoes and pasta for the good part of the last 6 months).  And if they chose to enjoy the company of other human beings, they will lose both time and money. Belle found the perfect solution: a part time job that provided for her welfare, allowed her time to do research and brought her in physical contact with men. Who can suggest anything better?]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
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