I can go literally anywhere. where should i go

[PhillyB]

I probably won't be traveling for a full year, because my wife and I are both in masters programs and now time and finances are both an issue, but over the rest of this year I'll be developing themes and specific locations for my master's thesis, and then next summer I'll be doing fieldwork somewhere.

 

Anywhere.

 

In most social science masters programs, you've got to pin down a specific subject that includes a location and a population to study. My approach has been a little different. I'll still have to narrow down to something very specific, but I'm coming into this with a specific theme in mind: historical memory and its effect on national memory and identity. Examples of this subject include studying historical monuments; for instance, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C. What voices competed for their own narrative of the war being represented? What politics were involved in how the conflict was represented? On the other side, the victorious North Vietnamese unified the country and then built a museum memorializing their victory. The name and contents of the museum changed markedly after the normalization of political relations with the U.S. in the mid-90s; how do political and economic motivations change how the historical past is produced and dispersed to the public? Or maybe contemporary Germany. How does contemporary Germany grapple with the Holocaust and WWII? How does its school curriculum present Germany's part in the war, and how does that effect self-identity and national identity?

 

But I'm not pinned down to that. I can take that general theme and take it literally anywhere in the world. I just need a subject that involves competition over representation of the historical past… which happens all over the world.

 

Where should I go, huddle?

[Anybodyhome]

Penguins in the Antarctic. Poor bastards won't have a home as fast as it's melting down there.

[PhillyB]

Penguins in the Antarctic. Poor bastards won't have a home as fast as it's melting down there.

 

wrong species of population, but that would be fun

[SZ James (banned)]

 

 

Can't wait for the thread!

[PhillyB]

 

 

Can't wait for the thread!

 

i'd do it in a heartbeat if NK didn't consider every non-tourist westerner a subversive 

[Kevin Greene]

The Berlin Wall, yin and yang.

[4Corners]

South Carolina. Lots of poo down there that doesn't make sense. 

[Davidson Deac II]

Israel.  Its a little on the expensive side, but its full of controversial history, both recent and distant past. 

 

Christianity, Islam and Judaism; Arabs and Jews, Romans and Jews, British/French and Palestinians, Ottomans and Palestinians, Palestinians and Jews etc....  Lots to choose from for your study.  Standing on top of Masada, with the Dead Sea in view, Roman ruins below, was a fascinating experience. 

 

And some of the most physically fit and lovely young ladies on earth, although that might not be a benefit since you are married. 

[Panthro]

I was coming in here to post about Antarctica. I had a friend from college get laid off from a defense contractor and took a 6 month contract job there. That shiz is one in a lifetime.

Or Madagascar/Aran Islands/Easter

[Inimicus]

Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania.

 

That part of Africa, especially Malawi, is very cool and pretty travel friendly.

 

I could spend weeks in Malawi alone.

[Chimera]

At first I thought a specific group of cannibals in India, but with your criteria, I'll just second Deac's Israel suggestion.

[jackson113]

Come down here to Savannah GA and figure out why these fuggers can't drive worth a poo...

[Sapper]

I think you've been everywhere I've been 100x over.

But, if you don't carry this hobby already, join geocaching.comand read up on it. It takes you to really fun spots over the world and allows you to share it all online.

I have one to my name in Colorado Springs that is a helluva find.

[Sapper]

Geocaching.com*