Disturbing the emerging researcher: political projects, noble causes and an unstable

subject position

Nicolas LewisSchool of Geography and Environmental ScienceUniversity of Auckland

Multiple dimensions of emergence

Juniority Low status occupations Youth Immaturity: intellectual /political Marginalisation

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

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!

Nested problematics

Social science as representative project

Social science and the disciplines

Social science as career

Research as good - more is better

Emerging researcher

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

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