The theme of the seminar reflects the conditions many of us are working within.
We want to open up a conversation about how we sustain ourselves in systems that can feel demanding or constraining. We are particularly interested in the small acts that help us to keep going in thoughtful and creative ways. This might include pedagogies of care, practices that help us hold on to a sense of authenticity, and ways of creating spaces for reflection, experimentation and connection.
In this spirit, Dr Charlie Davis will share work from a collaborative book project that explores the affective dimensions of academic life. Through the creation of composite characters drawn from interview data, the project creates space to reflect on what it means to be and become an academic. Charlie will speak about how this kind of collective work can offer moments of care and support, particularly in challenging times.
We will also hear from Dr Adam Matthews and colleagues, whose research focuses on commuter students. Their work invites us to think differently about how students experience the university by exploring how they move between physical and digital spaces. Using narrative approaches, the research highlights the creativity involved in navigating these environments, while also drawing attention to the limits of systems that were not designed with these experiences in mind.
Register here.