Our Dissertations, Ourselves: Shared Stories of Women’s Dissertation Journeys

Our Dissertations, Ourselves engages readers in intimate stories from twenty women who wrote doctoral dissertations across nine disciplines: biology, English literature, modern languages, history, mathematics, music, nursing, philosophy, and social work. Their stories bring to light the common experiences, emotions, and challenges in the sometimes overwhelming process of writing a dissertation amidst a full and complex life. Through dialogue with these women, the authors found that much of the dissertation journey is shaped by the challenges and transformations in the writer's own identity and relationships. Designed to invite readers into shared experiences, this book provides support and guidance for women writing dissertations, their advisors, and all those on the journey with them, inviting readers to gain new understandings of the often-isolating world of the dissertation writer and celebrate the courage and creativity that these twenty women demonstrate.Table of Contents:Preface1. Writing the Unknown2. Mystery, Confusion, Isolation3. Realigning Relationships4. Transformation of the Self5. Advisor and Committee: Dancing with Strangers6. The Defense: End of a Journey and a New Beginning7. Looking BackAppendix: Gathering the Stories