Day in the Life Series: Amir Douglas

Hello! My name is Amir Douglas. My work focuses broadly on the development of Black feminist theories, Black expressive culture, and intellectual debates around solidarity in the diaspora. I’m currently balancing dissertation writing and the academic job search. This means my day-to-day life has a schedule, but I also have a life to be flexible. 

I head to the John Henrik Clarke (Africana) Library to work on an upcoming chapter for the dissertation. This library is one of the few places where I spend the whole morning writing and researching. Today, I’m working on a dissertation chapter that explores the experimental Black arts and aesthetics of Black women before and after the Black Power Movement, drawing on both archival and digital sources. I’m incredibly fortunate to have visited this library, where I had the opportunity to talk to the librarians and share my research – their guidance has been invaluable. Be sure to visit the library and speak with librarians about your topic.

I spent the afternoon reading and writing for one of my chapters. Today I am reading Margo Crawford’s “Black Post-Blackness.” I take notes in the margins of the book and write in my research journal. I always carry this journal to help me trace how scholars in the field of Black studies developed concepts in their work. Reading and writing as a graduate student should always work in tandem with each other. In most of my journal entries, I’m always in conversation with many books, so it is beneficial to identify what has been said and what is missing in the field.

After lunch, I head to the Olin Library to work on the academic job materials. I am transitioning to the academic job market in my last year at Cornell, and I’m working toward an associate or full-time professor position. I use this time to work on my writing samples, prospective syllabi, CV, cover letter, and research proposals. It is always good to start thinking about your career while you are in a graduate program. The time will come sooner than you expect.     

After a long day of writing, reading, and researching, I took a walk around the campus. I found a trail, and the sun was out, and I gave myself a long break.

While I am at home, I work on the dissertation chapters that need to be revised or I work on academic job materials. I use this time to really fine-tune anything I had written today and plan the next steps for tomorrow. Today, I finished up my cover letter and reviewed my introduction chapter for the dissertation.