Academic activities: an update

In the last week I’ve:

  • been on four trains;
  • visited London and Sheffield;
  • given two presentations;
  • re-evaluated my future career plans; and
  • eaten some fantastic food courtesy of the AHRC.

Last Monday I travelled down to the British Library once more (but hopefully not for the last time) to hand over the final version of the catalogue and give a presentation on the project at the Asia and Africa Section’s Doctoral Open Day.

Then on Tuesday I headed north to Sheffield for a three day workshop hosted by the White Rose East Asia Centre. I had been invited to give a presentation based on my research and I chose to talk about the Arts Council of Great Britain’s exhibition Peasant Paintings from Hu County, which toured the country in 1976-7. You can read more in chapter 5 of my book –> a spot of shameless self-promotion there!

With regards to my future career plans, well, I’m finally coming to terms with the likely fact that I won’t now secure that elusive full-time, permanent academic post, and the way things are in the sector right now, I’m not sure I’d want it, to be brutally honest (though I remain open to offers!). A part-time teaching fellowship, with time to do some consultancy work, and a bit of research and writing on the side, would suit me down to the ground.

Image by Matt Cornock, used under a Creative Commons license. 

 

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