The Iron City of Dis
So, here's what writing a dissertation is like:
First thing I did was I started writing about the show "Chuck" because...why not. In any case, I noticed the complexities of analyzing the reference to Nazism made in one episode of Chuck and how that image depended upon the James Bond movie on which it depended and the way that James Bond played into Cold War propaganda.
Notice how at the end of that sentence I have to know how Cold War propaganda works. Any idea how many books/articles you have to read to become an expert at that? I mean, it's not like its a rational thing to have to do. "Hey you, I know that's it's not really your field or anything but go out and become an expert on Cold War propaganda...for next week." But you have to do this.
Take the Borges chapter of my dis. I decided that I wanted to know what the political climate of Argentina is around 1941. Not a really abstract question. So, I grab some books, but nothing just tells you whether or not it was okay to speak out against Hitler in Argentina in 1941. NO!! You have to find out what their radio industry was like. And you have to find out about Jewish-Argentinean identity. Then you read stories about public reaction to newly unveiled statues of religious leaders in Argentina. I have book about book that talks around the subject I'm looking for and I still have to guess based on all this what the hell Borges was talking to his friends about when Hitler was in power because nobody has bothered to just write that particular book.
I know everything there is to know about Argentina between the two world wars. I'm writing about the image of Nazism in American post-war culture. Go figure.
My new question is how Cold War propaganda mentioned Nazis (if it did at all). I have just ordered six more books from my library.
First thing I did was I started writing about the show "Chuck" because...why not. In any case, I noticed the complexities of analyzing the reference to Nazism made in one episode of Chuck and how that image depended upon the James Bond movie on which it depended and the way that James Bond played into Cold War propaganda.
Notice how at the end of that sentence I have to know how Cold War propaganda works. Any idea how many books/articles you have to read to become an expert at that? I mean, it's not like its a rational thing to have to do. "Hey you, I know that's it's not really your field or anything but go out and become an expert on Cold War propaganda...for next week." But you have to do this.
Take the Borges chapter of my dis. I decided that I wanted to know what the political climate of Argentina is around 1941. Not a really abstract question. So, I grab some books, but nothing just tells you whether or not it was okay to speak out against Hitler in Argentina in 1941. NO!! You have to find out what their radio industry was like. And you have to find out about Jewish-Argentinean identity. Then you read stories about public reaction to newly unveiled statues of religious leaders in Argentina. I have book about book that talks around the subject I'm looking for and I still have to guess based on all this what the hell Borges was talking to his friends about when Hitler was in power because nobody has bothered to just write that particular book.
I know everything there is to know about Argentina between the two world wars. I'm writing about the image of Nazism in American post-war culture. Go figure.
My new question is how Cold War propaganda mentioned Nazis (if it did at all). I have just ordered six more books from my library.
posted by Monstro D. Whale at
11:45 AM
1 Comments:
Well, hey, you can't write a dis without a mile-long bibliography, right? The longer the better, I guess. Just think how well you'll know the style manual when you're done. I forgot which one it is... MLA?
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