PhD in Cultural Studies

Severin Mueller, 2026

Degree: PhD in Cultural Studies

It may sound cliché, but Northern Virginia and the larger DMV area are places where, in arguably more conspicuous ways than elsewhere, the old and new meet. This convergence of seeming opposites intrigued me and I sensed that it would be conducive to the research I was about to embark on. I was new to Cultural Studies, but thanks to the perceptive advising from Professor Denise Albanese, then the Cultural Studies PhD Program Director, and the interest the Cultural Studies faculty expressed in my research, I soon found my bearings. In short, a great opportunity presented itself to me to get more serious about my research and to take advantage of an intellectually stimulating and culturally enriching environment to hone my academic chops.

The focal points of my research were evolving considerably. I developed a deep interest in the domain of political economy and culture, particularly labor history, which was informed by a historical-anthropological perspective. However, in hindsight, this orientation seems only consequential to me as a response to new impulses from my course of studies in the Cultural Studies PhD Program and broader socioeconomic trends. I'm thinking of the COVID-19 pandemic specifically, and its social character, which has thrown into sharp relief underlying, glaringly unresolved problems. I was repeatedly struck by the currency of the questions and issues I encountered in my labor history research in this weighty present moment.

My dissertation explores the 'future pasts' of history, specifically the interpretation of Appalachian labor history in the 2018-19 West Virginia teachers' strikes. It uses historical and historical-anthropological research methods to gauge the emergence of new social formations amid the deep political-economic transformations in postindustrial societies. Specifically, I set out to discern how the striking teachers made sense of cultural traditions in a rapidly changing coal state, as teaching and other public sector jobs have assumed a central role as sites of labor politics—paralleled historically only by the coal mining industry.

Most impactful courses: At a time when specialization in the humanities appears to shrink, instruction in an interdisciplinary field of studies such as cultural studies introduces a countervailing viewpoint. For me, among the most formative experiences taking classes in the Cultural Studies PhD Program were the ones I made in Culture and Political Economy and Critical Ethnography. These two classes spoke perhaps most evocatively to the creative agencies found within structured social contexts, which I ended up examining in my dissertation.

Favorite George Mason memory: Taking my research to international conferences. I have presented very early explorations of my dissertation research, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtually at the annual meeting of the Historians in the German Association for American Studies. This conference was held in a hybrid format at my alma mater, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Needless to say, it had a deep symbolic meaning to me. Taking part in the conference also reinforced my commitment to the historical approach I have chosen for my dissertation research. Later, in October 2024, I was invited to present my research at the Appalachian/Carpathian International Mountain Conference in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The conference was instrumental for me in a great number of ways, but I left the Carpathians with a much better understanding about the specific affordances of an anthropological orientation for my dissertation research. I had many inspiring conversations, which later led to a publishing opportunity and a new committee member on my dissertation.

Advice for future George Mason graduate students: The simplest but perhaps most important piece of advice I can muster would be not to be discouraged by the inevitable setbacks and challenges, especially for research that goes against the grain. Ultimately, in the proverbial marathon run of the Ph.D. it will be indispensable to remind oneself of the creative spark that ignited one's enthusiasm for a particular project. Don't let the embers go cold! I also would highly recommend future graduate students to actively seek opportunities to present their research at national and international conferences throughout their degree. I have formed some very valuable connections and found inspiration especially in the final years in the PhD Program presenting my dissertation research in academic conferences.

Future plans: After graduation, I hope to combine my passion for research with work in cultural pedagogy. I'm convinced that the methodological and theoretical framework I've developed in my dissertation will allow me to engage in future research that is oriented to international contexts and comparative approaches.