Interrogating Conflicting Narratives of Writing in the Academy: A Call for Research

Abstract

A safe haven in an often unsafe place: I would use this metaphor to describe the space writing studies and a university writing centre have offered me, as I’ve attempted to find my own place as a feminist in the academy. I feel these two things are my rocks. They are firm, solid places for me to reside amongst the challenges I’ve experienced as a writer. The reasons for my struggles with writing for academic purposes are difficult to pinpoint. Some would say they stem from my lack of literacy, hinting that laziness could be a culprit. Others might suggest they are connected to my subjective identity as a first-generation, female university student. Or others might take the discussion of subjective identity a bit further, arguing that my identity as a feminist, and my determination to bring my feminist politics into my academic work explain these challenges.