The Researcher's Quest for Identity: A Narrative Approach to 'Playing It Safe' in Research and Teaching

Abstract

In this article a narrative is woven about the different aspects of my work as a lecturer and the intellectual work I have done to reconcile a culture of 'playing it safe' with a passion and commitment for present-day qualitative research with key issues of identity and integrity. I draw links between my own learning during the ten years I worked on my own PhD thesis with the responsibility of being a supervisor for eight PhD students and include a new conceptualisation of the pedagogy of supervision. Five ethnographic operas developed by my undergraduate students between 2000 and 2005 are also discussed towards the 'playing it safe' culture. Finally the problematic issue of government consultancies in the work of scholars is raised and the ethical dilemmas involved for scholars have been illuminated through a cautionary tale.