Political Theory - Guidelines for Writing a Political Theory Dissertation Prospectus
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Dissertation Prospectus Guide
Writing a dissertation prospectus is one the more challenging tasks that you have to complete in graduate school. The dissertation is supposed to make an original contribution to scholarship, but in so far as your research is novel and creative, it is difficult in advance to anticipate its shape or substance. This problem is particularly acute in the field of political theory, where research designs are not standardized. In most cases, you are unlikely to test a hypothesis empirically employing established sets of data. Instead, most theory dissertations will focus on the analysis and interpretation of texts. Your prospectus should concisely identify the topic, discuss the state of the existing literature, and outline the texts that you intend to interpret in order to advance your readers' understanding of the issue.
1) Research question: You should identify the topic that you want to explore and explain why it merits exploration. What is the central problem that the dissertation will address? This problem can be theoretical, critical, normative or historical; but it should, in most cases, be presented as a question or set of questions to which the dissertation will attempt to find answers. It is important that the problem and proposed solutions be stated from the outset, so that your research will not wander, and your exposition will not lapse into mere description.
2) Literature review: In the prospectus you should demonstrate your familiarity with the secondary literature on the topic and indicate how your approach differs from earlier ones? This serves two purposes. It helps establish the originality of your contribution and it allows you to clarify your argument by positioning it in relationship to established reference points. In reviewing the literature, you should avoid two pitfalls. First, do not attempt to catalogue everything that you have read in graduate school. Carefully select the most relevant arguments available in the secondary literature and demonstrate how they illuminate your question. Second, do not turn existing theories into "straw men" in an effort to establish the novelty or superiority of your approach.
3) Sources and methods:In the field of political theory, research often consists primarily in the analysis and interpretation of texts. This does not mean that all political theory dissertations are intensive readings of canonical literature. The range of texts is quite broad and may include artifacts of popular culture and the built environment, interviews, novels, films, political practices, and legal opinions. In the prospectus, you must identify which texts you intend to focus on in your effort to tackle the research question. You should also demonstrate your familiarity with relevant debates about how texts may be interpreted and clarify the methods that you will employ.
Logistics:
Length: In most cases, a prospectus of 12-15 pages, with the addition of a detailed bibliography will be sufficient. In some cases, your committee may wish to see additional material to assess the viability of your project. This may include one or more of the following: a proposed chapter outline, a sample chapter, or a seminar paper that forms the basis of the project.
Timeline: You should discuss your ideas with your supervisor(s) before beginning to write your prospectus and present them with a draft of the prospectus two months before you intend to defend it. This will give your supervisor(s) an opportunity to provide comments so you may revise the draft before circulating it to the entire committee. The committee should receive your prospectus at least four weeks before the proposed defense. Committee members may ask you to make revisions prior to the oral defense.
General Advice: Prospectuses and theses often lose themselves in detail, or become too general. To avoid these pitfalls, ensure that your central argument is clearly articulated at the outset, and remains in focus throughout. The prospectus is not a mini-dissertation, and need not involve more effort in writing and revising than a fine seminar paper of comparable length. At the same time, a thorough investigation of the relevant literature is required. In turn, the prospectus should be carefully crafted to ensure that it articulates the central argument and outlines its methods in a manner both accessible and erudite.
