Alternative careers for political theorists/philosophers?

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Alternative careers for political theorists/philosophers?

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Started 2 years ago by jdjd
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jdjd
Member

What would be another career somebody interested in this field could do? I am contemplating doing a PhD focusing on Political Theory in a PS department or Political Philosophy/Ethics within a Philosophy department.
However, if I do not get into a "great school" I am considering calling it quits and just writing outside of academia and being more of an activist.
I am UG at one of the top Political Theory depts in the U.S., unfortunately my freshman/sophomore year hit some bumps in the road.
Basically, when is it time to call it quits? I would be horribly unhappy if I was at some community college teaching or some obscure college in the middle of nowhere. And looking at programs outside of the top 20-25 or so, it looks like most of those graduates end up there.

So, thoughts? Should I pursue it anyway at a lesser ranked school if I get in? Or should I just buck up and face the world outside of academia?

PS I have no interest whatsoever in something like Law School or MPA... However, I did pick up programming skills as a backup... So it is either some code monkey job, or political activism, or continuing my academic career.

Posted 2 years ago #
welding
Unregistered

Go away.

Posted 2 years ago #
Anonon
Unregistered

/thread

Posted 2 years ago #
jdjd
Member

Hello welding, that has been extremely helpful...

Posted 2 years ago #
anonymous
Unregistered

Give up. Even if you get into a top school, your chances of ending up in a job you deem unacceptably low status are high. Political Theory is something only people who don't care about academic status should pursue, for obvious reasons.

Posted 2 years ago #
Anon
Unregistered

^ has it right.

/thread

Posted 2 years ago #
jdjd
Member

It's not about low status, it is about location, family obligations and a two body problem with my SO also finding meaningful work, as well as overall life happiness outside of a job. I am not interested in status at all, hence my disinterest in law/mpa type practical professions. I just know it wouldn't work out realistically, ties I wouldn't be willing to damage for my own self interested pursuit. I was just wondering if anybody else had a similar dilemma, and how they dealt with them.

Posted 2 years ago #
anon
Unregistered

yep...

Posted 2 years ago #
anon
Unregistered

^I was agreeing...give it up.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bone Rawls
Member

If you have non-negotiable constraints on the type of job you will accept, you should give up on the idea of a political theory career. Even if you get into a top 10 program you will likely have little or no choice of offers. At my undistinguished LAC out last theory hire arrived with multiple publications, including a "big-three" article. We've hired VAP's over the last few years with multiple publications and books. So being a genuine star is a necessary condition to get a job of almost any kind, but it isn't sufficient.

If you aren't going to get into a top 10 program (and if you screwed up your first two years you won't), then your best possible outcome is probably a high teaching load position in the middle of nowhere. Your most likely outcome is wasting 7-10 years of your life and never getting a job at all.

Basically, give up now.

Posted 2 years ago #
anonymous
Unregistered

If you weren't displaying status-snobbery, why sneer about how you wouldn't accept being marooned at a "community college or obscure school"? Plenty of both exist in or near attractive major cities.

Posted 2 years ago #
Mel Brooks
Unregistered

"Oh, a **** artist."

Posted 2 years ago #
Mel Brooks
Unregistered

I feel a little bad about my dickish comment on Good Friday, so I'll try to be constructive now. One thing you could do is have theory as a second field. So, for example, study American politics (or IR or Comparative or, hey, Policy) as a major field and use your knowledge of normative theory to drive the questions you ask. In my opinion, my field (American) would be better if more scholars were equipped to do this.

Yeah, it sucks that you won't be focusing primarily on your first love. But if you want to be in academics, this is one way to do it and still embrace your interests while being successful.

Posted 2 years ago #
mortimer adler
Member

Don't do it for the money or the location or the status. If you do it because you want to get paid for learning things that you think you need to know, then you won't be disappointed.

Posted 2 years ago #
jdjd
Member

Anonymous, actually from what I've found is that in the bigger cities there is actually more competition. I know it is like that here in Chicago with way too many overqualified people as it is.
Mel that is definitely an option I have considered, and I still might. I know some programs have joint specializations, while others are more narrowly focused. Or like Emory, where they have Political Theory, but only as an optional minor.
While I might need a dose of the reality, which I am trying to get a clearer picture of the current situation, the snide comments are pretty childish.

Posted 2 years ago #
Mel Brooks
Unregistered

Dude, this thread has a high ratio of helpful comments to noise for this comment board. This thread doesn't know from snide comments. Count yourself lucky.

Posted 2 years ago #
Anon
Unregistered

It's hard to understand someone being on the fence between political theorist and "activist." I am tempted to call troll, these are such different alternatives. Probably it is just a very young confused poster. Political theorists may discuss "the political" but mostly they are talking about what someone wrote about what someone wrote about what some dead guy said about politics a few hundred years ago. If they are -very atypically- talking about something of contemporary relevance, their own commentaries are still obscure and irrelevant to the concerns of voters and political activists. While this sounds negative, I think that it can have its own integrity and certainly is no worse than what a lot of other scholars do. But it has NOTHING to do with activism. Of course some theorists like to play at being activists, b/c everyone needs a hobby, and they may imagine they are changing the world, but they are delusional. Activism matters and ideas too, but not these folks'.

Posted 2 years ago #
jdjd
Member

edit double post

Posted 2 years ago #
jdjd
Member

jdjd said:
Anon ^ no not at all. I just wouldn't be interested in a conventional "career" that a traditional poli sci degree might prepare one for. Hence, not being interested in pursuing a degree in law/mpa/mpp etc. I don't think I will ever stop reading and talking about it, even if it isn't in academia. You are definitely right, I am certainly toying with the idea, but I think it would be a better idea than taking a typical job. Although I have done quite a bit of humanitarian relief type efforts, particularly in Africa. I lived in Africa between soph/junior year, so I am certainly not off my rocker :) A bit odd set of "requirements"? no doubt.
I am more interested if possible, to hear when other people "gave up", and what they did instead of pursuing an academic career. I think several posters are certainly correct in their possible "give up now" posts, I've largely came to the same conclusion, just wanted some others idea of my fork in the road I need to decide on soon.
Of course most theory doesn't have much relevancy to current issues, but I think a lot of it can be used as a framework of "what to do?" I certainly take a more normative approach to things.
To better clarify my reasoning, my whole interest in studying theory and philosophy would be that I'm not interested in education for a specific vocation, likewise, if I wouldn't be able to continue on in a scholarly role per my specifications, I still would not like a "typical" vocation such as working for a business or government organization. I would need some other type of outlet, hence some kind of activism, possibly nfp work.

Posted 2 years ago #
jdjd
Unregistered

Go talk to your professor, not a bunch of anonymous people, you dolt.

Posted 2 years ago #
marshmellow
Unregistered

Political theory would be acceptable if there were still plenty of parking-lot-attendant jobs. But the machines have now robbed us of even that sinecure. Oh, the humanity!

Posted 2 years ago #
Jo
Unregistered

Possible fall-back position: my ****. I'm will to move to be near you.

Posted 2 years ago #
darkhorse
Member

Get a masters in Urban/Environmental/Regional Studies and re-evaluate. That way if you realize you have made a mistake, you have only wasted two years of your life instead of 6-8.

Posted 2 years ago #
jdjd
Member

wow darkhorse, an actual helpful response. Albeit not sure if I would like that, at least it is an alternative idea for the dilemma. I have thought about a few routes like that down the road, but I think I would want to work within the field area at a lower level for a bit before I decided on a masters in it (whatever it happened to be). I'm sure I'll figure it out at some point. The urban/environmental aspect could parlay into more of an activist path, or at least I would think so, if I chose to go down that path.

thanks (serious)

Posted 2 years ago #
darkhorse
Member

There are plenty of urban/environmental studies programs that work on putting some theory in the practice. Check out the University of Minnesota, Northwestern, Berkeley, UC Boulder, UC-Chicago, U-Wash, U-Oregon, etc.

Posted 2 years ago #
darkhorse
Member

And Chapel Hill, the social movement working group is there.

Posted 2 years ago #
anon
Unregistered

Get a job. Work for a little while. Next year apply for a part time MA program in your area. Doesn't have to be top ranked. Go to class in the evenings, write some papers, get to know professors, see if the life a political scientist is something you really want. Go to a few conferences and try and present a paper or two. Write a master's thesis.

In a couple years you'll have a masters degree, a few years of real work experience under your belt, and a much better understanding of where you want to go with your life.

If you decide to go for the PhD you'll probably have a much better sense of your intellectual aims and goals and if you can try and publish even one paper before applying your PhD application for top programs will be much stronger.

On the other hand, if you decide you don't, you can always teach some political science classes as an adjunct after you finish the MA, and have a successful career doing something else. Plus a masters degree in any field looks good to employers no matter what primary career you're pursuing. And you won't have wasted several years of your life.

Posted 2 years ago #
anon
Unregistered

'It's hard to understand someone being on the fence between political theorist and "activist."'

Michael Walzer has very successfully straddled that particular fence throughout a long and distinguished career.

Posted 2 years ago #
BART SCOTT
Unregistered

ALTERNATIVE CAREER INVOLVES LEARNING HOW TO STEAM SOY MILK WHILE REREADING DESIGNING SOCIAL INQUIRY AND WONDERING WHERE YOUR LIFE WENT WRONG.

FELT GREAT. DOUBLE-LATTE JUSTICE.

Posted 2 years ago #
spizzle
Unregistered

^^ good advice. become Michael Walzer.

Posted 2 years ago #

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