Description
Book SynopsisFor too long graduate school was viewed solely as a pipeline to teaching positions at colleges and universities. As MAs and PhDs proliferate and opportunities in the academy narrow, this timely book reminds us that the academy is only one of many venues for satisfying and successful scholarly endeavour.
Trade ReviewA comprehensive exploration of the challenges faced by independent scholars—namely lack of time, resources, and affiliation—that are compounded by issues of race, gender, disability, and caring responsibilities. Ten successful independent scholars give honest, pragmatic accounts of creating and maintaining their own academic profile that will surely inspire and guide others. This volume demonstrates that independent does not mean inferior and that high-quality scholarship can indeed be pursued outside the confines of academe."—
Amanda J. Haste, PhD, president, National Coalition of Independent Scholars
"This important book provides insights into the experiences, talents, flexibility, and persistence of independent scholars. The work gives independent scholars the due recognition they justly deserve and offers motivation and inspiration for those who are committed to forging their own unique paths outside the space of academia." —Gavin Wilk, author of Transatlantic Defiance: The Militant Irish Republican Movement in America, 1923–45
"By turns harrowing, enraging, and inspiring, the essays in this collection speak many truths about the why and how of independent scholarship. The authors are open about their experiences and provide useful advice for scholars navigating the job market outside of the academy, the demands of family life, and the identity crises that come with leaving the ivory tower. Independent Scholars Meet the World is essential reading for all scholars, as its authors prove that there is not—and should not be—one standard career path for people pursuing the life of the mind."— Megan Kate Nelson, author of The Three-Cornered War: The Union, the Confederacy, and Native Peoples in the Fight for the West
