What are some things I could concentrate on with a focus on colonialism and neocolonialism?

by johnGOATner

I'm not sure if this belongs here, I tried posting on r/history first and it got removed and told me to come here, so have some sympathy... I’m an undergrad in college and I want to go to grad school... And I feel like I want to focus on colonialism and neocolonialism. I was just wondering what you guys thought some of the understudied areas of the discipline are and what to read about. I’m not asking you to find my focus, just looking for some ideas and inspiration... I appreciate it!

sunagainstgold

/r/AskHistorians is a fine place for your question; don't worry. :)

In fact, you might want to repost this on Friday in our Friday Free-for-All thread--a lot of "I'm interested in [broad topic]" questions/comments get discussed there.

My own advice, honestly, besides do not go to graduate school in history, is to set aside "what areas are under-studied" and focus on what you are interested in. There's under-researched material everywhere except English literature. You'll figure it out a part of it that interests you by starting your reading more broadly, and then gradually zig-zagging and chasing different leads.

You can check out our book list for some ideas on places to start, or ask for recommendations in the Friday thread or Thursday's Reading and Recommendations thread.

Happy reading!

Partially_Stars_

I agree with the moderator that it's vital to go to grad school to study the area/time YOU are interested in. There's nothing worse than devoting years of your life to a subject that you don't care about. It's hard to predict trends so don't worry too much about what will be in vogue when it comes time to write your thesis/dissertation.

It's true that you need to read broadly to find your interests but there are some places you can start. Do you want to study the "Colonizers" or the "Colonized"? There is a lot of great scholarship in the thematic realm of empires right now, and studying a metropole usually offers more accessible opportunities for archival research and funding. However, the "Subaltern" is also hugely popular right now and it can be very exciting researching understudied places in Africa, South America, and Asia.

  • However, if you are going the Ph.D. route, this is all reliant on finding a PI/Adviser to work with you. Be aware that in order to secure funding and a place in the program you might need to be flexible to the interests of your adviser. For example, I went into grad school wanting to study Cuban-American relations, but my adviser insisted that she would only take me on if I agreed to study the island's domestic policies. You have a little more leeway with the MA because often the school is not providing the financial backing for your studies.

If you are interested in Latin America, dm me and I can tell you a little more about the discipline and the historiography, I am unfortunately not super well versed in other areas but I can try to direct you to the correct resources.