The terrified-yet-resolute grad student faces her committee one last time to defend her dissertation. But soon she finds herself confronted by an even greater obstacle.

Coming Soon: The Defense

Aug 13th, 2020 2m 14s

A word on what to expect next in My Gothic Dissertation, plus a plug for The Professor Is In -- THE podcast on the academic job market, academic career, and post-academic job search.

On the Edge of a Moral Volcano

Aug 6th, 2020 53m 11s

Lulu taught her first college class at the age of only twenty-two. Like Lucy Snowe – the heroine of Charlotte Brontë’s Villette – she almost found herself engulfed by student mutiny. In this chapter of My Gothic Dissertation, we’ll investigate

Frankenstein; or, the Modern Lift Master (part two)

Jul 30th, 2020 49m 48s

After succeeding in his private campaign to disprove his narrow-minded teachers, Victor Frankenstein loses his nerve and abandons his Creature. In this next chapter of My Gothic Dissertation, we’ll find out why he makes this tragic, cowardly s

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Lift Master (part one)

Jul 23rd, 2020 35m 11s

The name “Victor Frankenstein” conjures up images of a mad scientist in the lab, challenging God by taking the creation of human life into his own hands. But in this chapter of My Gothic Dissertation, we’ll take a closer look at Mary Shelley’s

Invalidation and the Education of Emily St. Aubert

Jul 16th, 2020 56m 46s

Laura was told that, if she ever wanted to secure the tenure-track job of her dreams, she needed to convince a certain high-profile professor to serve as her dissertation advisor. That’s how she ended up like Emily St. Aubert—the heroine of An

Grad School Gothic

1 Jul 9th, 2020 43m 14s

What do grad school and the Gothic have in common? Find out in this deep dive into the origins of the Gothic genre and the unspoken abuses of graduate training. Plus, detour into Anna’s childhood to meet her ideal teacher.

Amateur Hour - A Prologue

1 Jul 9th, 2020 17m 54s

A terrified, yet resolute grad student presents her dissertation prospectus to her advisory committee, submitting herself to their will while questioning what it really means to “prospect” at all. Then: a stark realization.