Urgent-- advice for a Constructivist in US University applications

[Ledgehall]

(Hi! i posted this a week back but i haven't recieved a response. Kindly let me know your opinion. WOuld really appreciate it. Thanx)

Hey there.

I really am in need of some desperate advise and any input would be highly appreciated. I am keen on applying to the US for a PhD in Pol science.

My background consists of an MSc in IR at the LSE, which I passed with Distinction honours, and following that I was briefly interning with the IISS in London.

My problem is this:
-- I am not into quantitative analysis. I love theory, but not of the formal modelling types that are quite widespread in the US.

-- I could broadly consider mysefl to be constructivist, even critical constructivist in persuasion. I am influenced by many critical theorists, and am strong using methods like discourse analysis and languiage analysis in studying international politics.

-- but all the same i am not 'post-structural' or postmodern, because i see verities in realism as well (Buzan type etc)...hence i am willing to loosely consider my position as constructivist in approach.

-- which means that I am not willing to straighjacket myself so early and am keen to take my time to arriave at coherent theoretical positions. Thus, I dont want to be at say arizona state uni cuz i dont want to be straighjacketed into a poststructural mould alone, and at the same time dont want to be at a school where quantitative analysis is singularly infleuntial.

-- I am putting forth the subject of 'Asian regionalism' and also 'construction of order and security in Asia' as among my research topics. These may appear traditional but i would want to have the liberty to explore them using different eclectic approaches that are not necessarily quantitative.

-- So my questions r these:

1) which universities and pol science departments are open minded at having different theoretical approaches work in ther department?

2) Should I apply to mainstream uni's like Harvard and princeton by corresponding with specific professors who may share such interests there? Do i stand a chance there?

3) I am thinking of Cornell and Berkeley at this stage as they have some strong professors working on Asia and IR theory and constructivism as well. Any other?

4) Do you think i will be rejected right away If i mention in my SOP that I broadly consider myself to be constructivist in thinking?


As you can see, the trans-atlantic transition in polsci is so very difficult. I wish there wasn't such an enormous divide!I would really appreicate it if you could give me some advise. Many thanks

[shrugginatlas]

Ohio State and Minnesota would be two solid choices for constructivism as well. OSU has Wendt, Hopf, et al., and is considered to be one of the capitals of constructivism. There are also some good qualitative people there.

You might also consider Canadian universities. U of T and McGill immediately come to mind.

As for the repercussions of blatantly saying "I'm a constructivist!!," I'd probably say that you'd get away with it better at schools that tend to be more qualitative in terms of overall departmental approach. From what I've experienced, quantitative IR people tend to have very short fuses regarding constructivism, which they oppose on issues of falsifiability and testability.