infobong.com

An interview with University of Oklahoma English professor Vince Leitch came in from one of my listservs this morning. I did my undergrad in English at OU, so I was interested in what kind of work faculty do up there. Reading the interview, I was a little surprised I didn't take a class with Leitch, since I graduated on a "Critical Theory/Cultural Texts" track the department offered at the time, and his interests are apparently in text-y kinds of theory.

One thing he says caught my attention, "Postmodern interdisciplines are generally housed in underfunded and nomadic programs or institutes, not departments." Reading that, I wondered, "Is media studies a 'postmodern interdiscipline'?" I'd argue that the media studies program where I'm pursuing a Ph.D. is underfunded, but it's certainly in an established department. He later lists media studies as an interdiscipline, along with usual suspects like women's studies, queer studies, and postcolonial studies.

Despite being in a dedicated media studies department, I do often feel that kind of interdisciplinary anxiety, feeling I don't quite fit in anywhere. As someone who primarily studies Internet media, it can be kind of frustrating working with people who mostly study television and film. (On the other hand, the film grad students often complain that we don't offer enough film studies classes, folding film into classes about larger theoretical topics.) And what people do study ICTs generally approach it from a social science perspective, while I'm more drawn to humanistic methods. I know myself well enough that I don't do well with a lot of structure, so I think I am happier working out how to approach my interests on my happy, but occasionally that anxiety creeps in, particularly when I think about finding a job.