Rhizomatic Research Cultures, Writing Groups and Academic Researcher Identities

Abstract

As interdisciplinary research becomes increasingly common in universities, new types of research culture appear to be developing. The doctoral students undertaking studies in this research climate are themselves increasingly diverse (Gardner, Jansujwicz, Hutchins, Cline, & Levesque, 2012;Pearson, Cumming, Evans, Macauley, & Ryland, 2011), coming into their studies from nontraditional pathways, from a variety of disciplinary and professional backgrounds, as well as from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Informed by interview data collected from members of doctoral writing groups, this article outlines the academic researcher identities these diverse students need to develop in order to operate effectively within rhizomatic research cultures. By considering this through the lens of Deleuze and Guattari's (1980/1988) model of rhizomatic knowledge structures, we can begin to understand how the contemporary research environment values heterogeneous, non-hierarchical, networked styles of work on research projects. The article proposes that multidisciplinary doctoral writing groups offer experiences that enable researchers to embrace the qualities of flexibility, multiplicity, collegiality, and connection and that these qualities will be of benefit to students in the current research environment.

Connecting the Dots: Writing a Doctoral Thesis by Publication

“…This includes the expectations of participating in the conversations and debates within disciplines in virtual forums as well as in person through conferences and seminars. These beliefs and behaviours are consistent with the rhizomatic researcher identities I have described elsewhere (Guerin, 2013), in which researchers are characterised by the traits of flexibility, multiplicity, collegiality, and connection; and they work in heterogeneous, non-hierarchical, networked rhizomatic research cultures. It would seem that the thesis by publication facilitates doctoral candidates' sense of themselves as legitimate researchers who are capable of positioning themselves as active, creative nodes in the network of knowledge in their fields, of seeing themselves as dynamic participants in knowledge creation.…”

“…Part of becoming a scholar or researcher is learning to enact that identity: what we know and what we do are central to our sense of identity (Baker & Lattuca, 2010;Guerin, 2013). This includes the expectations of participating in the conversations and debates within disciplines in virtual forums as well as in person through conferences and seminars.…”

Why start a higher degree by research? An exploratory factor analysis of motivations to undertake doctoral studies

“…This applied to both recent graduates from Bachelor programs and to those with extensive experience in the workforce beyond the university system, as the following comments from the qualitative data indicate: There is a great deal at stake for the majority of candidates undertaking HDRs, and the published literature explores the complexities of identities that are formed during this intellectual work (see, for example, Baker & Lattuca, 2010;Barnacle & Mewburn, 2010;Brew et al, 2011;Guerin, 2013;Petersen, 2007).…”

Concept Mapping in the Age of Deleuze: Fresh Perspectives and New Challenges

“…Following on from these conclusions, there are a number of practical implications to consider. For those colleagues who would like to apply a Deleuzian lens to the application of concept mapping in the future and become rhizomatic researchers [61], we would suggest a few guiding principles that require some deliberation by researchers at the outset of their projects. A consideration of the impact on the research participant as the focus of the research (rather than the content being mapped) and his/her movement within the developing rhizomatic assemblage requires a shift in emphasis from 'being' to 'becoming'.…”