Greetings from Bionic-Woman

Good Morning DBCers!

Bionic-Woman here. I want to thank Billie for inviting me to the party (read: dissertating hellaciousness) as a crew member.

I'm currently trying really really really hard to wrap up my Ph.D. in International Relations from ABD-land. I'm about to start year 7 when the 2008-2009 academic year begins. Prior to this, I was firmly entrenched in the humanities - communications and cultural studies - to be precise. My present social sciences avatar remains unwilling to let go of those roots. My research remains firmly focuses on identity and the ways in which social and political orders are negotiated discursively. In my dissertation, I'm exploring the same but looking at a particular international conflict (since I continue to cling to some measure of anonymity in the blogosphere I'm continuing to be somewhat nondescript here). It's an ethnomethodological study though which means I look at everyday life including interviews with actors and pop culture.

I keep hearing about the magical 6 weeks in which dissertators get their act together. I'm in week 5 of that cycle. What do I have to show for it? A prelude/preface and chapters 1-5. Chapters 6-8 remain.

In a magical world, this draft would be perfect. Far from it. But it'll be a working draft that can be edited into a version that I can actually defend. So I'll be here checking in - commiserating, celebrating, and ranting - through the remainder of my "hopefully magical 6 weeks journey" and the glorious moment until there is a successful dissertation defense.

Enough about me. How are you folks doing?