Doctural Studies

My doctoral research was inspired by a concern with social change and how we might better understand the relationship between individual subjectivity and agency and broader social change. It provided some of the greatest opportunities for my learning both personally and academically. As I mentioned earlier, I am currently attempting to rework the thesis into a book for publication.

In more theoretical terms, this research explores the possibilities for agency and social change in the reconceptualisation of subjectivity both in relation to knowledge generation and the relationship between individuals and society. Theoretically the research is located in the broad field of postmodern feminism, particularly in relation to the postmodern challenge to modernist views of subjectivity and metanarratives. The practice context for this research is the field of youth work.

The aims of this research are:

1. To explore the construction of subjectivity in relation to the influence of past experiences and dominant social discourses, and the relationship between these;
2. To explore the nature of people’s conscious experience of their subjectivity;
3. To explore the impact of researcher subjectivity on the research process and findings;
4. To explore the possible relationship between subjectivity, agency and social change.

A copy of my thesis is available for download below and I welcome your feedback.