This is a post

As you may have guessed I'm trying to update more frequently so the people will know that we're okay. I don't want to keep writing "We're okay" as my post though. But what should I write about?

Well, I did say that I'd tell more about my thesis, maybe I'll do that now.

I'm writing about science, religion and development studies. There is a emerging discipline called "Science and Religion" or "Religion and Science" that looks at the relationship between the two. Often, though not always, the discourse focuses on ways that the two are more compatible or complimentary than we are used to thinking. There are also discussions about the relationship between science and religion as it relates to development practice. I'm particularly interested in science and religion as they relate to development studies as a science. I had some experiences at university that made it clear to me how taboo it is to write in an academic context from an openly religious perspective. But I don't think that the taboo has a scientific justification, and I think it is a loss to the field of development. So in the thesis I'm trying to make an argument for why it would be interesting and useful, and why it would be kosher scientifically to write religiously-inspired development studies scientific research.

I'd written some chapters, and had plans for one more. The result of my meeting at the university was that I should write two additional chapters, besides making revisions and additions to what I already had. On the whole the criticism was interesting, and one thing in particular that was exciting to me was that I was encouraged to give the Bahai approach to development a much higher profile in the thesis and use it as an example of what I am talking about.

I'm getting used to the idea that this thesis is going to be a part of my life for a little bit longer, part of my life with Juju. Other women with babies have written theses. I keep telling myself that it will all work out. It certainly gives me and MBH (who is very supportive) an extra incentive to try and make sure that Juju and her Daddy spend some "quality time" together regularly, so that I have a chance to work. And I still have a little time now to try and get some of the work done before she comes.