Louis Knafla remarked:
>
>I remain amazed about the pleas to do doctoral work in British history in
>the UK. A few facts.
I don't recall anyone in this discussion making 'pleas'. Let us consider
Prof. Knafla's assertions.
>First, most UK programs have prohibitive fee structures for
>non-nationals; most good U.S. and Canadian doctoral programs have full
>funding (i.e., 3-4 years) of some sort (assistantship, etc.) each year.
High fees, true. 'Prohibitive'? absolutely so? obviously not. relatively so?
possibly, and then, compared to what, and incorporating what sorts of costs
both direct & indirect? As for 'full-funding', I can't say, though I suspect
much of it is actually the venerable indentured labour scheme of
grader/teaching assistant (the virtues and failings of that system might
well be worth exploring)
>Second, most UK programs have no seminar (I'm talking REAL seminar
>here), or teaching, experience.
Most UK programmes I am familiar with do indeed have
seminars, but then, perhaps they are not 'real' enough. It is entirely true
that UK programmes offer little formal opportunity for teaching experience.
>Third, most hiring committees I know of would not consider a UK PhD as
>providing equal training to a north American one, and thus their
>graduates don't begin on the same playing field.
This is entirely true, but not at all the same thing as making them
unattractive.
>Fourth, research is not a problem, as most good students in doctoral
>programs receive research grants (as Canada's SSHRC and the US
>equivalents) for 12-18 months of research abroad; grants which are rare
>in many UK university programs.
First, those studying British history in the UK don't often need grants to
travel abroad. Secondly, research grants for doctoral students in Canadian &
American programmes are neither as frequent nor as lucrative as in years past.
>Fifth, if one does a survey of the origins of today's North
>American university British history historians, look at the date of
>graduation, because most of these are pre-1990s people.
True. As in all historical fields.
>Sixth, I know of at three recent UK PhDs in British history who are
>still trying to get interviews, because they have gone "out of the loop"
>with regards to contacts in North America.
Is this the key reason?
Julian Martin
Department of History & Classics,
University of Alberta,
Edmonton, AB Canada T6G 2H4