I am a 27 year old social anthropology graduate. I am keen on pursuing a career as an academic in social anthropology. I have a 2.1 degree and have not even thought about applying for ESRC funding. I currently live in Manchester with my partner. I am thinking about getting work to fit around doing an MA and doctorate. Would the fact I was self funded be detrimental to my future career in social anthropology. Are self funders able to get teaching experience whilst doing their doctorate. My idea for research is to study astronomers at Jodrell Bank Observatory and the situated practice of astronomy.

Hi - I'm in a related field and self-funding is quite common due to the the high demand vs supply of funding. You should be able to get the same teaching opporuntities as a funded student - but you will need to be able to fit them around your work. I have known self-funded students get academic jobs - it really depends on getting a good enough PhD and finding a position that relates to your specific area (the latter can be difficult).

Isn't Jodrell Bank facing closure?

There is no reason why you cannot pursue a career, but why not try for funding or a graduate assistantship? If you plan to work as well as study you're looking probably at 5/6 years before you get a full-time lecturing job. Personally, I wouldn't attempt a self-funded PhD.

Spacey - funding in soc anth is VERY VERY scarce.

Liam,

Don't let the issue of self-funding put you off (but do - as others have stated - try to find out about obtaining funding). Also, contact academics in departments you would be interested in studying at and explain your situation (... some of them are friendly and willing to offer advice/guidance!).

i am also in a related field. regarding your non-fundedness being detrimental to your career prospects: yes, it is. but similarly, a lot of other things are detrimental, such as too few or too low quality publications; lack of experience with conferences; lack of breadth of research interests; lack of teaching experience; lack of "proper" fieldwork experience; lack of promise for future development; etc.
what i am saying is: very few people have a "perfect" CV at the end of their PhD. everyone has some downsides. yours will be "did not achieve funding". you can balance that out by being good in other important critera. and, even if you are not fully funded, you can try to get bits and bobs of funding here and there (check out the wenner gren foundation!) which would go a long way to demonstrate that yes, you are a candidate who has demonstrated ability to obtain funding. so, no detrimental effect on your job chances!

I have been going over and over the same thoughts in my mind. I really want to be an anthropologist and to do that I need a good doctorate. I can't see how I am going to find a job which pays enough and is flexible enough to fit around research. I think I am going to wait a few years until I am in a better financial/job position to be able to do it. The idea for my research is to study astronomers and the cosmologies they produce as a quasi religious practice. I was interested in astronomers because they pose the big questions that normally only religion asks. They deal with the largest possible distances and time frames. I am probably giving away my idea here but I thought they were a profession ripe for anthropological analysis. I think access would be an issue and you are right that Jodrell Bank has been suggested for closure. I think it would be difficult to do 'proper' field work on a part time basis.

I have absoutely no idea about your topic but have you checked the literature to see if there is any work already done in that area?

yes I did my undergraduate dissertation on the search for extra terrestrial intelligence. There is work on particle physicists but no work on astronomers (apart from one unpublished doctoral thesis I found)