Tensions of Aspirational Activism: Developing the Research Whisperer Community
Building Communities in Academia
ISBN: 978-1-83797-503-7, eISBN: 978-1-83797-500-6
Publication date: 6 August 2024
Abstract
The increasingly pressured environment of academia has led to many toxic manifestations within sector cultures, such as hyper-competitiveness, erosion of research integrity, workforce attrition and increasing instances of burnout. The aim of The Research Whisperer (RW) blog is to level the research career playing field by providing honest, informed and compassionate perspectives about contemporary academia that reaches across institutions and internationally. We seek to counter the pervasive negativity with alternative perspectives on academic life that are realistic and prioritise kindness, generosity and a holistic approach to valuing research and researchers. The blog and its associated social media channels have cultivated a significant community of international researchers and research support professionals. This chapter discusses RW's strategies in growing and managing its global researcher community (through blog posts, social media, workshops and conferences), issues around its sustainability and what having such a community means.
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Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
We cannot write a chapter like this without expressing our continuing gratitude and appreciation for the Research Whisperer community. They have enabled all that has happened, and we are privileged to have their trust and goodwill. We would also like to acknowledge our colleagues in the Whisper Collective – Inger Mewburn (The Thesis Whisperer) and Narelle Lemon (The Wellbeing Whisperer) – who have been fellow travellers and inspirations from the start.
Citation
Khoo, T. and O'Donnell, J. (2024), "Tensions of Aspirational Activism: Developing the Research Whisperer Community", Aarnikoivu, M. and Le, A.T. (Ed.) Building Communities in Academia (Surviving and Thriving in Academia), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 107-123. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83797-500-620241008
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024 Tseen Khoo and Jonathan O’Donnell. Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited