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Will Andrew Sullivan Make My Dissertation?

October 4, 2010 by B. Daniel Blatt

Now that I’ve finished “original” research for the first draft of my dissertation, I am reviewing several books on gay psychology and essays on gay relationships as I prepare to write the paper’s final chapter.  Due to the unique nature of my program, I intend to apply the insights I gained in studying Athene’s role in the lives of the men of Greek mythology to the needs of gay men today, considering particularly how feminine friendships can benefit us.

And one essay which I believe beautifully addresses gay friendships is Andrew’s piece, “If Love Were All,” in his book Love Undetectable: Notes on Friendship, Sex, and Survival.  In that insightful essay, he reminds us of “the need for nonfamilial and nonsexual intimacy [which] is surely uppermost in our minds, however hard it its for us to articulate it.”

As I review his essay, I’ll be seeing if he can offer any insights on the gay male “need” for a guiding female hand as we seek to find our place in the world.

One more thing to note; in that essay, Andrew addresses some issues raised (at least in my mind) by Tyler Clementi’s suicide — on the importance of friendships in helping us feel we have truly found our place.

I may or may not use his essay.  I won’t know until tomorrow when I review the underlinings I made and the notes I took when first I read it.  That said, I still recall how moving was his prose.  While we may not today share his politics, we should at least appreciate how thoughtfully he addressed an issue which merits more discusion.

Filed Under: Friendship, Gay America, Gay Culture, Mythology and the real world

Comments

  1. Coco says

    October 4, 2010 at 7:58 pm - October 4, 2010

    Hey, I didn’t realize you were getting a PhD. In which field? I got my PhD in English and Classics. Where are you trying to get hired? Do you want to be a professor?

    I have done a lot of work on classicism and homosexuality as well as Biblical scholarship and queer studies. Feel free to hit me up if you need any help! Ciao — “Dr. Rico” (You can reach me through my website)

    PS. I think Andrew Sullivan does good work, I don’t have nearly the same hostility to him as others on here. I’ll take him over Dan Savage any day.

  2. B. Daniel Blatt says

    October 4, 2010 at 8:07 pm - October 4, 2010

    Getting my PhD in mythology.

    Not sure I want to be a professor, but I do want to teach. Do you?

  3. Brendan says

    October 4, 2010 at 8:20 pm - October 4, 2010

    Sorry you guys,

    You will never get full-time teaching gigs. Ask David Horowitz, we on the left have taken over academia. Our members are on every hiring committee from Harvard to South Central Fargo Community College.

  4. Sonicfrog says

    October 4, 2010 at 9:31 pm - October 4, 2010

    I say use Andy S if you can. He’s a known commodity, the work he did then was insightful, and it might score points when you go up for your dissertation review.

  5. Coco says

    October 5, 2010 at 12:26 am - October 5, 2010

    Hehe, I don’t know if Brendan’s joking around. Yes, I am a tenure-track professor and I have never had a problem getting a job. Right-wing people are welcome if they can survive the hazing process and get the doctorate, then make themselves relevant to the trends in discourse. Hit me up on email and I can help you if you need it. Since I’m in Classics I think we’re basically in the same field.

  6. Tom says

    October 6, 2010 at 10:05 pm - October 6, 2010

    B. Daniel,

    Hope to read your dissertation one day. Sounds fascinating.

    Tom

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