PhD Researcher Spotlight: Dr Joshua McDermott

The Pymble Institute loves to support teachers in their postgraduate studies. Dr Joshua McDermott is a member of the History, Society and Ethics Department and an experienced History teacher. After dedicated years of research and writing, as well as teaching, Joshua has now achieved his PhD and he shares some insights with us.

Can you tell us what your PhD is about?

It is about geography and maps and how they were used in the royal courts of ancient Greek kings and queens. I argue that these maps can work as propaganda, a sort of ‘fake news’ made by scholars to exaggerate the power and reach of their leaders. However, I also show that a few of these maps could have a very different purpose, acting as a sort of frank speech to challenge propaganda when it is seen to go too far. This ‘truth to power’ from scholars was valued by wise kings and queens, who understood that it was needed to cut through the noise of court propaganda. It would help leaders think clearly about the world and their place in it.

How did you decide your PhD topic?

Gaps in our knowledge are usually identified through research and finding these gaps can often come about through our earlier research. For me, this occurred when completing my first Masters degree (an MA). I found that important developments from modern geography had not really been applied to ancient geographers, and that applying these tools may help us understand the ancient texts more clearly. As I looked into it further, I began to suspect that these were not just objective geographies, but expressed significant political concerns. This ultimately led me, with the encouragement and support of my supervisors, to proposing a new approach to understanding these ancient geographers in my PhD dissertation.

What were the most valuable things learned through your PhD journey?

The greatest challenges of researching, drafting, and editing the dissertation turned out to be the most valuable aspects of the journey. I was struck by the many ways of thinking required. For research, curiosity is needed as much as critical evaluation. When brainstorming and planning, flexibility and discipline are, somewhat paradoxically, both needed in equal measure. When writing, you assume several roles. You are both disciplined researcher and storyteller: it is not enough to show evidence for something; you also need to interrogate the evidence and communicate these findings in ways that your readers will care about. This often involves stepping back, with the help of the feedback from others. Even the many stages of drafting have a certain alchemy, transforming phrases, paragraphs, and chapters from something irrelevant or unpolished into something which is hopefully more rigorous and engaging. The dissertation was better received than I could have hoped for, but I am keenly aware that this was really just the end result of a process which involved a great deal of drafting, responding to criticism and feedback, before redrafting some more!

What will you do with your PhD now?

In terms of research, the thesis is not so much an end as a beginning. Writing articles for academic journals allows me to continue to engage with other scholars and further extend our shared understanding of the ancient world. I have been encouraged to publish my findings to date in a book so that it can reach a wider audience, and this is something I hope to turn to shortly.

Beyond journal articles and books, I hope to use the research and communication skills developed in the doctorate to help students and others in their own research journeys. As teachers, we all do incredible work in this regard every day in the classroom, encouraging students to investigate with an open mind, evaluate sources critically, and communicate their findings in a range of ways. Research projects not only help us to discover new approaches to problems, but also allow us to communicate these findings in ways which can make a positive impact on the world.

We heartily commend Joshua on his award of the PhD and for the important scholarship he brings to his History classes. If readers are interested in connecting with Joshua, contact the Pymble Institute at pymbleinstitute@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.