Navigating the neoliberal university: A collaborative autoethnography of emerging scholars

Transformation in Higher Education

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Navigating the neoliberal university: A collaborative autoethnography of emerging scholars
 
Creator Shabalala, Nokulunga Mapaling, Curwyn
 
Subject — audit culture; commodification of higher education; decoloniality; refusal; transformation; emerging scholars; black psychologist
Description In the dynamic landscape of the neoliberal university, conversations between emerging scholars serve as vital spaces for critical reflection and transformative action. This collaborative autoethnographic study engaged with the complexities of navigating academia as two black clinical psychologists within a South African university. Drawing on decoloniality, we interrogated the pervasive ‘carrying on’ culture and its impact on early-career academics. Our lived experiences underscored the intersections of identity, power and resistance, as we grappled with the commodification of higher education and the pressures to ascend the ranks hastily. Through a reflexive thematic analysis of our recorded discussions, we uncovered mechanisms for disrupting normative structures and redefining the purpose of scholarly pursuits. Central to our inquiry was the notion of refusal as a generative force, challenging the status quo and advocating for a more conducive, supportive environment where teaching and learning activities are genuine expressions of growth. We envisioned a university that fosters meaningful intellectual engagement and societal transformation, calling for collective dialogue and action to reimagine the neoliberal higher education landscape.Contribution: Our study contributes to the ongoing conversation on decolonising academia, offering insights into the struggles and aspirations of emerging scholars in the Global South, and advocating for a transformative praxis that nurtures authentic intellectual pursuits and collective well-being within academia.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2024-11-07
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/the.v9i0.407
 
Source Transformation in Higher Education; Vol 9 (2024); 10 pages 2519-5638 2415-0991
 
Language eng
 
Relation
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https://thejournal.org.za/index.php/thejournal/article/view/407/809 https://thejournal.org.za/index.php/thejournal/article/view/407/810 https://thejournal.org.za/index.php/thejournal/article/view/407/811 https://thejournal.org.za/index.php/thejournal/article/view/407/812
 
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Rights Copyright (c) 2024 Nokulunga Shabalala, Curwyn Mapaling https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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