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Disturbing the emerging researcher: political projects, noble causes and an unstable
subject position
Nicolas LewisSchool of Geography and Environmental ScienceUniversity of Auckland
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Multiple dimensions of emergence
Juniority Low status occupations Youth Immaturity: intellectual /political Marginalisation
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Themes
Multiple dimensions of emergence – within and external difference
Instabilities of an untenured academic Nested problematics Constituting the emergent researcher (what are we
doing here?) Risks and potential Epistemic dissonance – is it ‘good to be’ an
emerging researcher
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Personal experience/conditions of emergence: the instabilities of an untenured academic
Security of income Institutional marginalisation Professional stigma Agenda-less existence Struggles with editors and PBRF panels Giz a job!
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Nested problematics
Social science as representative project
Social science and the disciplines
Social science as career
Research as good - more is better
Emerging researcher
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Constituting the emergent researcher (what are we doing here?)
A project of the social sciences– grasping a policy moment, building a policy space– re-policying the production of knowledge– reproducing ‘our’selves– funding-led rationalities
A noble cause– recognising difference and difficulty– creating space for emergence– making social science attractive
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Risks and potential
Potential– labels activities that build networks– stimulates interest– enhances existing models of support– works the science analogue– leverages support for the noble cause
Risks– empty of meaning – no self-identification, no
institutionalisation, no buy-in– overfull with meanings– damage other models of support– dumping ground for the marginal, or for specific concerns– political project swamps noble cause – band-aid solution to deep structural crisis