Dissertation time
Classes started this week, and I'm enjoying them so far. This semester I'm taking Participation, Policy & Planning; Rural Development; and Management of Environmental Sustainability. In addition to classes, I have to come up with a Dissertation proposal for my research project this summer. I have a couple ideas, and I want YOU to help me decide.
First Idea: Something to do with local food systems in Scotland and/or New England. This might be something along the lines of figuring out how much food is produced locally vs. how much is consumed locally, or how to increase demand for local food systems....something like that.
Second Idea: Writing a book targeted at people who want to do their part to reduce their contribution to climate change but have no idea where to start or who think recycling is a good way (hint: it's not). The book would be organized by how easy/difficult a change is to make (i.e. replacing light bulbs vs. buying a hybrid car), and each change would have a rating of how much of an impact it has. The research to figure out the effectiveness of common improvements/changes would probably make up the bulk of the actual dissertation. Also, a book exactly like this might already exist, so I'd have to rule that out first for this option to work.
Okay, now I'm counting on you to click on the little "Comments" link below this post and leave me a message saying which one you think I should do. Or let me know if there is some other idea you have. Thanks for weighing in! I should have the verdict in, uh, a month or so.
posted by Amanda @ 12:11 PM
4 Comments:
It is for selfish reasons, but I vote for the second idea.
if # 2 doesn't exist - it sounds good! but #1 would be useful too....
see you in less than a month!
I like the book idea as an overall concept. However, I would think that the research involved to create a book like that, with in dept information and covering a range of topics would be more than a semester's worth of work. You could combine the two by writing your dissertation on local food systems. Then, continue research in other areas, combining that with your original dissertation to create...well...a text book. I suppose you'd have to do some rewriting to create a saleable book, but it would be a good start.
And that was more information than you were looking for, but I'm bored at work, so you'll forgive me, right? Right.
Personally, it sounds like #2 is actually a smattering of ideas. Why not split it out? For instance - I am not in the know, so what makes recycling not work? I can only assume that it's because most people don't stick to recycling. Yet, there is a great deal of marketing these days aimed at pointing out the recyclability(sp?) of different goods, or at the recycled content of new goods. I have been reading about how - and maybe you can verify this for me - in Europe the recyclable content of a car or truck is listed as a typical selling point. I am pretty sure Honda, Mazda, and Toyota publish those numbers even on window stickers. Perhaps some history and description of the current recycling processes and capacities and then how to improve upon them could be a dissertation to itself...
I would just be concerned that the study for the rest of #2 could be very broad and formidable. If you really want to do it though, it may be worthwhile to restrict the topic. What about restricting the set of changes to one's office environment? Or one's house? For all I know, restricting it to the kitchen alone may yield lots of interesting results.
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