I can think of lots of things that make sense. I'm in a really small department at a mapus with really meagre facilities. If a faculty person has insufficient knowledge to help a student with a research topic (not a problem as much when the library has the resources), then the student will have to find a different topic or work with someone who does.
And frankly, I know one student who is desperate to do a thesis on Oranges. Except Oranges is the student's personal hobbyhorse, and the student has Ideas about it. Every conversation with the student says that the student cannot get past preconceived notions about what the thesis will show in order to ask questions or better, to let the documentary evidence lead the way for the thesis research. Telling the student to do a subject that is more in line with what the person teaching the thesis seminar (not me) and that can be supported and that will allow the student to be objective are all good reasons to nix a topic.
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Posted by Another Damned Medievalist to academicsecret at 11/20/2006 06:04:46 PM
