On Wednesday 13th January 2021 I underwent my Annual Progress Monitoring (APM) interview to confirm that I was ready to move into my second year of research. Suffice it to say, I will be progressing! It was actually super nice to audibly talk about my research with the examiners, as for the last 10 months of my first year we've all been in lockdown, more or less.
I haven't visited Bristol since February. The last (and my first) scholarly talk I presented was for the Myths and Politics seminar series back in June. A PhD can often be a lonely experience, but during 2020 it was even more so. Added to this, is the practical limitation of only being able to access online resources and having no study space outside of our (currently very cold) house. BUT the university library has been very obliging with my eBook requests and I'm glad to be in a safe place with the company of my partner and our cat!
Moving forward, after a supervisory meeting today with Prof. Hutton I have better clarity on my thesis structure. My exploration of my thesis subject will now take the form of three case studies examining the ancient and modern veneration of Aphrodite, Aset-Isis, and Sekhmet. Fortunately I have already written a case study on Aphrodite in preparation for my APM, which I can use the bulk of the official chapter. I also have an article about devotees engaging with statues of Sekhmet in museums (pending acceptance) which can contribute to the chapter on her as well. So I feel that I am in a rather secure place.
My immediate attention will be directed towards my first chapter before the case studies, where I will lay out the context for the revival and innovation of these goddesses in 21st century Goddess Spirituality. Once I have done this I will construct my Round 2 questionnaire aimed towards devotees who revere Aphrodite, Aset-Isis, and Sekhmet - which will get me into the juicy part of this project!
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