The Grind is a series of interviews with young scholars and PhD students on the many ways of "making a way" in the theological academy, and all the trials and joys therein.
Cody Bivins-Starr is a PhD student in theological ethics at the University of Aberdeen and is writing his dissertation on a theology of madness under the direction of Dr. Brian Brock.
In this interview for our podcast series, The Grind, Cody and I talk about applying to PhD programs, dissertation research, PhD supervisors, and much more.
PODCAST LINKS:
Blog post: https://wipfandstock.com/blog/2023/01/24/the-grind-cody-bivins-starr-on-considering-madness-theologically-picking-a-phd-supervisor-and-researching-for-a-dissertation/
Cody's academia.edu page: https://aberdeen.academia.edu/CodyBivinsStarr
The Tao of Tea (Portland, OR): https://taooftea.com/
Sisters of the Road (Portland, OR): https://sistersoftheroad.org/
CONNECT:
Website: https://wipfandstock.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wipfandstock
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wipfandstock
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wipfandstock/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvht9V0Pndgvwh5vkpe0GGw
SOURCES MENTIONED:
Barth, Karl. Church Dogmatics II.2: The Doctrine of God.
Brock, Brian. “Parenting as political resistance: Disability and ‘dealing with’ late-modern medicine.”
Fanon, Frantz. The Psychiatric Writings from Alienation and Freedom.
———. The Wretched of the Earth.
Foucault, Michel. The Birth of Biopolitics: Lectures at the Collège de France, 1978–1979.
———. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison.
———. Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason.
OUTLINE:
(01:28) – Assam tea and espresso tonic
(03:08) – From Grudem to Hauerwas to Barth and Bonhoeffer
(06:43) – Barth and political theology
(09:38) – Assemblies of God – Anglican – Mennonite
(16:36) – A theological account of madness
(23:04) – Picking a PhD program/supervisor
(30:53) – Pros and cons of PhD programs in the UK
(37:09) – Pains and joys of the PhD process
(44:08) – Reading non-theological sources
(50:45) – Mapping life post-PhD
(55:31) – Advice for prospective PhD students
