History and Theory Dissertation - Finding My Subject

The summer started and I received an email asking me to undertake some gentle research with the goal of discovering the subject I wanted to explore for my dissertation. I have always envisioned writing a piece about how people do not have the freedom to live how they want. It's been an unintended lifelong subject for me, and I have questions. However, it is such a big subject it is hard to specify.

I started by investigating feudalism. During conversations, I had been told that this is where control of land and its occupants had all begun. Learning about feudalism only expanded and complicated my subject. I was initially under the impression that feudalism was a fixed time period within the European Middle Ages in which societies had changed substantially. This is not the case. It’s actually a lose, subjective term for a power dynamic which likely happened over 6 centuries (within the Middle Ages, so at least I got something right). Additionally, there are examples of feudal tenure systems pre-dating the feudal period. It was not a starting point to anchor the subject as I had hoped, it expanded it overwhelmingly.

I tried to find leads on freedom within architecture through forums, but that only made things worse.

Returning to the reading list and rethinking the subject was the only way forward. I red a part of a suggested book full of architectural essays and considered alternate subjects I could explore. Space (as in stars and moons) has always interested me, and my open university course on ‘the moons of the solar system’ made me consider looking to the future of space architecture. However, I couldn’t commit to it fully. I felt stuck between two divergent subjects. Though my research into space architecture opened my eyes to amazing possibilities, it felt like something I could pick up later. Exploring constraints on people's homes feels more relevant to my life journey and the current Zite gist.

Subsequently, I reconsidered how I approached the subject of autonomy within architectural preferences. Rather than looking at it as a theoretical topic I realised that it came under the topic heading of activism and action. This allowed me to find better reference material.

I finally settled on my draught question and topic. I am not fully convinced that my precedents are right, but at this point in the process I don’t feel that it matters. I think the decision-making was the main point.

*Unlike my other subjects, I do not plan to fully show my notes, until the end to prevent plagiarism.