Thesis
American studies and interdisciplinarity: a tale of two programs
Washington State University
Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
2010
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/101962
Abstract
To what extent do American Studies programs at Brown University and Washington State University engage in interdisciplinarity as demonstrated through their faculty and publication structures? Using an institutionalist lens and following a template provided by Fabio Rojas' 2008 study on Africana Studies faculty publications, this study evaluates content from the curriculum vitae of faculty from both schools and the content found in journal descriptions in which faculty have published. Contextualized within the history of American Studies and disciplinarity within academia, findings show that interdisciplinarity is engaged in on moderate to low levels at both institutions based on characteristics such as faculty age and field structure, and publication age and field structure. Despite the levels indicated, findings suggest that Washington State University leans more toward engaging in interdisciplinarity than Brown University when noting faculty and publication age structures of both schools. Discussion of the implications of the extent to which interdisciplinarity is engaged in follows, with a look at the proportion of men versus women that participate in each school's American Studies program. From this collective of information further inquiry regarding the engagement in interdisciplinarity for all Ph.D. granting American Studies programs is pondered along with what it means to practice interdisciplinarity in academia for those in the humanities and social sciences.
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Details
- Title
- American studies and interdisciplinarity
- Creators
- Charise Paulette DeBerry
- Contributors
- Scott Frickel (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Sociology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525098701842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis