Those of us who are in academia are aware of the diminishing funding opportunities offered. This is especially true if you’re studying a topic that is on the fringe of what is considered “popular” research. I know I’ve been having a lot more luck finding funding when I switched my dissertation topic from virtual worlds research to digital platforms.
In the past, I’ve jokingly said that I was half-tempted to Kickstart my dissertation. I never went through with it, and honestly don’t know if I could. However, a colleague of mine, Nicholas Mizer from Texas A&M, is currently attempting the experiment. He’s studying table-top role-playing communities, and he’s trying to fund his fieldwork. He’s already received pledges for over half of his goal with 7 days to go.
Whatever the result, it’ll be interesting to see what the experiment has to teach us about the politics of academic funding. Check it out!
This entry was posted in Announcements, Erik Bigras and tagged D&D, Dissertation, Dungeons and Dragons, Fieldwork, Funding, Kickstarter, Myth, Role-Playing, Story, Table-Top. Bookmark the permalink.