Becoming Academics Through Scholarly Publication in the Neoliberal Era: The (Re)Construction of Researcher Identity of Cross-Border Chinese Doctoral Students Under Supervision.
Saved in:
| Title: | Becoming Academics Through Scholarly Publication in the Neoliberal Era: The (Re)Construction of Researcher Identity of Cross-Border Chinese Doctoral Students Under Supervision. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Lu, Xiaolong (AUTHOR), Xiong, Ying (AUTHOR), Zhang, Luyao (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Higher Education. 2026, Vol. 97 Issue 5, p909-940. 32p. |
| Subjects: | Scholarly publishing, Identity (Psychology), Doctoral students, Mentoring, Chinese-speaking students, Neoliberalism, Transnational education |
| Geographic Terms: | East Asia |
| Abstract: | This study adopts a collaborative autoethnographic approach to explore how three Chinese doctoral students (re)constructed their researcher identities through scholarly publications during the pre-dissertation stage. Data collection primarily relies on prompt-based self-narrative journals, supplemented by visual artifacts (journey plots, social media posts, and e-mails). Drawing on the theory of doctoral student socialization, we reflect on our publishing as a socialization practice and the impact of supervision on researcher identity construction in global neoliberalism. Our findings reveal that, despite varied academic trajectories, our researcher identities have been positively shaped as independent scholars by the time we reach candidacy. We propose a researcher identity model to highlight that supervision in distinct academic cultures (United States vs. East Asia) and individual agency interact in shaping the development of researcher identities regarding publishing in neoliberal contexts. While supervision for publishing shapes our perceptions of being a researcher, agency plays a key role in socializing us into academic communities, where we undergo an identity transition from novice to professional researchers. This study offers pedagogical insights into doctoral publishing and supervision in cross-border education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| Abstract: | This study adopts a collaborative autoethnographic approach to explore how three Chinese doctoral students (re)constructed their researcher identities through scholarly publications during the pre-dissertation stage. Data collection primarily relies on prompt-based self-narrative journals, supplemented by visual artifacts (journey plots, social media posts, and e-mails). Drawing on the theory of doctoral student socialization, we reflect on our publishing as a socialization practice and the impact of supervision on researcher identity construction in global neoliberalism. Our findings reveal that, despite varied academic trajectories, our researcher identities have been positively shaped as independent scholars by the time we reach candidacy. We propose a researcher identity model to highlight that supervision in distinct academic cultures (United States vs. East Asia) and individual agency interact in shaping the development of researcher identities regarding publishing in neoliberal contexts. While supervision for publishing shapes our perceptions of being a researcher, agency plays a key role in socializing us into academic communities, where we undergo an identity transition from novice to professional researchers. This study offers pedagogical insights into doctoral publishing and supervision in cross-border education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 00221546 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/00221546.2025.2521204 |
