Developing an academic identity

Abstract

The wolf embodies the Anthropocene, the current geological epoch, “…in which human society is acknowledged as having become the greatest force shaping planet earth” (RGS, 2015). Understanding this new epoch demands a ‘more-than-human’ mode of theorising. Utilising metaphors and symbolism, and applying the hermeneutic tradition of ‘questionableness’ (Nixon, 2014), my reflective essay offers a creative interpretation of my life experiences, inviting readers to join in a playful exploration of what it means to become an ‘academic’. I draw on an amorphous body of literature, from diverse sources such as children’s author Enid Blyton; Jungian psychologist, Pinkola Estes; and Children’s Geographies, long recognised as a place that utilises creative methodologies, resulting in interdisciplinary work that is challenging creative and exciting (Kraftl, Horton and Tucker, 2014). I pay homage to, and further develop that tradition, whilst embracing concepts of playfulness (Bateson and Martin, 2013) and transformational learning (Eyler and Giles, 1999). I have gained a growing awareness of my own identity, of how it has been shaped and influenced by others over the years. This has been accompanied by a flourishing of confidence in my academic abilities. I have learned how to howl.