The Doctoral Journey as an Emotional, Embodied, Political Experience

'The contributors to this book take the idea of the doctoral journey seriously, a journey that is generally undertaken without a map or compass and with only a vague idea of the final destination. The doctoral journey is not simply an intellectual process but also a personal and emotional one, for all participants and for their friends and families, and supervisors and students, jointly and separately, engage in autobiographical reflections on their experience of that journey. Contributors highlight the power and uncertainty inherent in the supervisory and research relationships and document the emotional issues that arise in the handling of those emotions. A diversity of journeys is explored, including those in which the destination changes as the journey proceeds and, in some cases, is never reached. These are fascinating, thoughtful, and highly personal accounts that identify the problems and footfalls of the doctoral journey, but in highlighting its joys and elation show what the doctoral journey could and should be like.’

John Scott CBE, Emeritus Professor, University of Plymouth, UK

'Perhaps this book is the missing link in our bid to define best practice higher degree supervision. Privileging emotions and the emotional, usually regarded for all too long as antithetical in academia, this text speaks with candour to the actuality of many, many doctoral practices, from both supervisor and candidate perspective. Finally, an in-depth reality check. Excellent notions to interrogate, long overdue.'

Sue Joseph, Associate Professor, University of South Australia

'The relationship between the student and the supervisor(s) is at the heart of the PhD process. This insightful volume consists of narratives, often authoethnographic accounts, which explore the emotional, political and embodied aspects of this relationship through the metaphor of a journey. A great strength of the book is that many chapters incorporate the experiences of both supervisors and supervisees, as they reflect on the difficulties and rewards of the process. Throughout, the importance of intersectionalities of class, race, gender and disablement within the student experience is highlighted, while some chapters deal with particular issues, such as the ritual of the viva, the experience of an interdisciplinary team or, tragically, the death of a student. These accounts will ring true to anybody who has been a PhD candidate or a supervisor, while those embarking on these roles will find much food for thought; in the phrase of one contributor, Nadine Boulay, the book ‘should make you feel less alone’.'

Harriet Bradley, University of the West of England

'This is a very powerful collection of work that illustrates the complexity of doctoral research, the critical role of relationships that are formed as part of the process, and the experiences that are navigated by all involved. This book challenges the emotional, embodied and political in ways that will enhance the practices of those who take the time to immerse themselves reflexively in the rich, thoughtful accounts so skilfully shared here. This is essential reading for all those who recognise the key role of the person and the personal in academic work and who are fully committed to doctoral research that is careful, ethical and genuinely transformative.'

Anne Chappell, Reader in Education at Brunel University London