Departing Radically in Academic Writing: Alternative Approaches to Writing and Methods in Qualitative Research

Departing Radically in Academic Writing (DRAW) seeks to show qualitative researchers that there are ways to embrace creatively alternative approaches to writing, whilst fulfilling the demands of an academic tenure system.

Putting forward playful, arts-based and creative writing/fiction approaches to writing up research, the contributions in this book demonstrate how theorisation can happen in different ways, particularly, for younger career scholars struggling with their thesis submissions. Some of the contributions in the book come from those who have successfully defended a ＂DRAWn＂ thesis. Whilst this is not a handbook or ＂how to＂, it does show DRAW and radical departure work can work in practice without disadvantaging the researcher. Each chapter includes Author’s Notes on the chapter and Radical Writing Prompts to stimulate creative thinking.

Drawing on the work of Sara Ahmed, Ruth Behar, bell hooks, Helene Cixous, Virginia Woolf, Laurel Richardson and other literary and creative feminist, qualitative thinkers, Departing Radically in Academic Writing will appeal to graduate students and researchers in Education, the social sciences and humanities who are interested to advance critical thinking through radically departured work.

Elizabeth Mackinlay is Professor and Director of Higher Degrees Research, Southern Cross University, Australia.

Karen Madden is research leader, St Aidan Anglican Girl’s School, and a PhD candidate at UQ, School of Education, Australia.