This question is to be answered only by a PhD holder, (social
science/humanities) as I have additional new questions on the same
subject. I am a BA and master's degree holder (Political Science &
International Relations).  I have joined an Interdisciplinary PhD
Program over 2 years ago in one of the major universities and declared
in my proposal that I am primarily interested in the study of the
history of a certain geographical area. After taking almost all the
coursework, I discussed with my adviser the details of the exams, but
he told me that the Program does not have anybody (faculty) to examine
me in what I have concentrated on, and proposed that he will examine
in another related geographical area which I have not studied
(proposing a reading list). My question is: Is this usual and should
it be accepted or could it be refused.  Are there any laws or
regulations which regulate such a problem?  If the anything is not
clear, please ask me for clarification. Thanks.

Dear Zaker, 

Where did this happen - an American style "graduate school" programme,
a British style PhD programme, or something else? Are you already an
ABD, or does this exam hinders your chance to become one?

I am not in a position to answer you (not having my PhD *yet*,
hopefully really soon), but there is a discussion list for graduate
students in social sciences and the humanities - H-Grad
<http://www.h-net.msu.edu/~grad/> where there are many with an
experience similar to yours (alas, also not PhDs), who might shed more
advices and insight on your problem.

PoliticalGuru-GA
Google Answers Researcher 
(*and an ABD).

Dear Politicalguru,
Dear Politicalgure,

Thanks for your comment and the H-Grad URL.  I respect and trust your
ability through reading your humdreds of erudite answers,  but this is
a speacial case.  I am sure that we will meet again on this wonderful
service.  I could not find anything relevant in the Michigan
University discussion list. I am preparing for my preliminary exams in
a US University and I am not an ABD yet.
I still need a PhD holder to answer my question, because I will have
more questions dealing with the exams etc which only those who have a
PhD can answer. If I am lucky and there is a PhD holder interested, I
prefer that they do no answer without the usual approval that they can
do so. Here at the University everybody tells me to speak to my
adviser, who is a nice person by the way, but he does not have any
other solution.

I suppose one of the rights of passage to PHD is your ability to
tolerate and oppose obsticals people put in your way, and decide
wisely which. On the surface the excuse may be valid. There truly may
be no one on the staff that feels qualified to review your
accomplishments in your choice of "geographic area" I have to wonder
why you did not describe that geographic area = the Arctic region of
Venus perhaps?
 Your advisor may feel your area of study is too specialized and you
need to broaden your studies into the related region he has suggested.
You can understand the University does not want to turn out PHDs who
are marginal in the work place. Accademic excellence does not always
lead to work place excellence. In fact I am frequently amazed at how
little some people with letters after their names seem to know about
things their specialty suggests they would know.
 It is certainly possible that there are laws and regulations, but I
hope not, as I would hate to see governments micro managing the PHD
process.
 Please don't be mad at Google answers, as I am not a researcher, my
field is Electronic Engineering and I did not complete my BSEE.   Neil

Thank yuo Neil.  Your are right.  Maybe the word "code" is appropriate.

Zaker

Sorry for the typo.  I mean " you are right."  Zaker