lordkalkin

I had a meeting with the graduate director today to check on my progress in completing coursework and other requirements. With my transfer credits from UBC, I don't need to take any classes after this semester. As of May or so, I will be entirely done with coursework, so I can start on my dissertation. I take this as entirely good news. I'll likely sit in on a seminar or two next year, but I finally feel close to the next level of professional academia.

We also discussed my dissertation plans, and when I suggested I had an interest in criticizing intellectual property, he encouraged me to pursue it. I feel very excited about that because I've been working on intellectual property and copyright issues for a while now, as a feature of an anarchic society. I get to work on things like the GPL and Creative Commons, criticize the establishment, and do some work that not a great deal of people in philosophy are working with, but which also has some extra-philosophy applications. Plus, having a dissertation topic is a large part of the fight. I'm supposed to work on a paper on it in my own time with which I can solicit a supervisor and committee, as well as submit as one of my two qualifying papers.

I asked about teaching next year, and was told that I would likely get a class next term. He also seemed happy to hear that I have the necessary skillz to teach a course on Buddhism, which seems popular, but for which the department is always looking for someone to teach it. I was promised that I wouldn't be abused in that regard (i.e. I would be allowed to teach ethics and political at least at some point), but I'm glad to know it's likely I'll end up teaching it. I really like teaching, and I'm really happy about all of this. My graduate work in general seems to be going well, so I feel pretty good.

And now, to relax, and finish this semester.