A PhD In motion: Advancing a critical academic mobilities approach (CAMA) to researching short-term mobility schemes for doctoral students. Issue 5 (4th July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Henderson, Emily F.
• Is Part Of: Teaching in higher education. Volume 24:Issue 5(2019)
• Page Start: 678
• Page End: 693
• Publication Date: 2019-07-04
• Subjects: Doctoral mobility -- critical academic mobilities approach -- PhD study -- academic mobility funding -- mobilities paradigm; College teaching -- Periodicals; Education, Higher -- Evaluation -- Periodicals; Education, Higher -- Aims and objectives -- Periodicals; 378.1205
• DOI: 10.1080/13562517.2018.1552252
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1356-2517

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Short-term mobility has been neglected in the higher education mobilities literature, which tends to focus on longer stays such as study abroad or entire degrees. Short-term doctoral mobility schemes are relatively low-cost, potentially high-value investments in the development of early career researchers. Doctoral mobilities research – and the field of academic mobilities research more broadly – is characterised by a positivist, often atheoretical orientation; this article responds to this by introducing a critical academic mobilities approach (CAMA). This approach is rooted in the 'mobilities paradigm', and involves (i) questioning the status of mobility as a universal good; (ii) exploring the subjectivity of mobile subjects as dynamic and shifting, but also structurally determined; (iii) a commitment to researching mobility processes as well as investments and outcomes. The article explores 'autoethno-case studies' of two doctoral mobility schemes funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC): Overseas Institutional Visits (OIV) and the PhD Partnering Scheme (PPS).