[SuziQ]

A Phd in blacksmithing, is this true?

Not quite. Obama's Mama's PhD thesis was ABOUT blacksmithing in Indonesia. Sounds like something a typical Social Science PhD from a 'roll your own' type of University.

[NathanR]

Sounds like a typical Socialology thesis to me. (I believe she was a Socialology major.) Socialology was, at least until majors like Women's Studies came along to pollute the well, one of the most worthless degrees in college. (I took way too many socialology courses in college.)