Thursday, May 23, 2013

The World Of Academia: The Challenges And The Support

“... and I’m driven by the idea of speaking the truth , and using knowledge to empower others.”

In Part 2 of this 3-part interview, Monique speaks about the challenges of being a PhD student, the importance of support networks, and her views on why ethnic minorities and women are under-represented in Academia.

Click here to read Part 1 of Monique’s interview.

And so the conversation begins …

Yaaya:
Studying for a PhD is no easy feat. How do you keep motivated and focused on writing and researching a thesis that can take up to 4 years?
Monique C:
As I’m a part-time student it will take longer. But for me, I’m the sort of person that is driven by knowledge. Some people are driven by money or fame, but I’m driven by knowledge, and I’m driven by the idea of speaking the truth, and using knowledge to empower others. I’m passionate about the subject as well. Although I don’t listen to Grime music outside of study, I can appreciate elements of it, as I know where it comes from.

For me, while growing up, Jungle was my thing, so I can take influences from that. I feel like it’s my purpose, I also feel it’s important because people don’t know about Jungle, Drum and Bass and Garage. When I was looking at music courses, no disrespect to Classical music, but I just didn’t want to learn about the Baroque or Romantic era or Beethoven. I realised that academic institutions are a reflection of what the elite value. I feel like it’s my purpose to correct this, because why can’t people learn about subjects that actually interest them at university? I want to make it available to them, and open up people’s eyes to other types of music. It’s knowledge that I feel that everyone should have access to, and have the opportunity to pursue and study it if they wish.

I can only do my part to open minds to get people to pursue their passions. I’m studying this topic because it’s what I'm interested in, and I want to do it because nobody else has done it. I just want to inspire people, and introduce things that I think are significant into the Academy as well. This needs to be done for everyone’s benefit. That’s how I feel about it.
Yaaya:
How important are networks of support in the academic community when studying for a PhD?
Monique C:
I think networks of support are really important because at times I’ve found it very difficult. I still do find it very difficult at times, but fortunately the passion, and my sense of purpose keeps me going. At the moment I have moved back in with my Mum so I can afford to pay the fees, and it is isolating because they (my family) don’t necessarily understand what I do. It’s (a PhD) not often understood in the same way as you have an idea of what a lawyer, accountant or teacher does. A PhD is really abstract, so sometimes it’s hard to explain to other people.
Yaaya:
And by “other people” are you referring to people outside of the academic world?
Monique C:
Yes, those who are outside of the academic world. It is a lonely journey. As my supervisor told me, “it is self-imposed exile”. At the beginning I was like “yeah I believe you”, but now I actually know what he is talking about. So it is important to network with people who are in the same field of study, in your profession and also academic peers. I don’t think individually but collectively, so a pool of people who can support each other, which also represents a knowledge network, is really useful. I believe we are stronger together, as we provide each other with support, and we all have the immediate understanding of isolation. Even when you finish your PhD, you will be teaching, doing research and all sorts of other things, and through networks of support you can help and strengthen each other.

The U.K. is different from the U.S. as you have a large number of black academics, but that had to start from somewhere. So I feel like the network is important to help me with my isolation, but it’s also a building block to bigger things. I think it’s only once the bigger things start to kick in, family or partners will kind of understand what you’re doing as it becomes tangible. My Mum is like “why are you on the computer all day?” It's work, but it doesn’t necessarily look like work. It’s not like I’ve got an assignment to do and then that’s it. You’re pulling random papers together, because it’s so abstract. You’re pulling an idea into theory and making it into something. Sometimes you get overwhelmed, as it’s an idea, and it can shift unexpectedly. It’s very isolating, very isolating. If you’re going through the process and have people around that have empathy and try to understand what you’re going through, it’s great.
Yaaya:
Do you often meet other black female PhD students and academics in the U.K. or Europe?
Monique C:
I do.
Yaaya:
Do you feel like you have a network in that sense?
Monique C:
At the moment it’s really strange as Tony, from ‘Black History Walks’, has had two seminars this year where I’ve met black female academics. And when people were putting up their hands at the end of the seminar and asking questions, they were saying things like how they feel isolated. So it was like a relief as others (black women) felt the same. We have sent e-mails here and there, but I think knowing that I am no longer alone anymore, has been one of the most important things I’ve gained from this network, as it has brought feelings of relief. Every so often we send an e-mail, we tweet and we have planned to meet up. I know one of the women has a child, so it’s not easy for her to meet up. I speak to another academic a bit more. She doesn’t have any children, I don’t have children, so there’s a bit more flexibility. We speak every now and then, but there are plans to meet and we will see how that goes.
Yaaya:
How many are in this network?
Monique C:
I’ve met many, but I’ve kept in touch with mainly with two. There is another woman that I speak to, although I’ve never met her. She is looking at male identities in music from Blues to Grime, so because our subjects are similar we have emailed one another, but I’ve never met her. At the moment its psychological relief, but hopefully we will get to meet up and discuss. So far we are encouraging each other to go for call for papers so we can present at conferences. It’s just all e-mail at the moment, but hopefully overtime we will meet up.
Yaaya:
Does this network also include lecturers/professors, as well as PhD students?
Monique C:
Yes.
Yaaya:
Why do you think that ethnic minorities and women are not particularly represented in academia?
Monique C:
Racism and sexism. That’s it. The Academy....
Yaaya:
When you say “the Academy”, what do you mean?
Monique C:
By the Academy I mean academia and universities. The Academy stems from the Enlightenment period, and these philosophers were all white men. That’s the kind of culture it started in. It (the Academy) was also influenced by white rich men, or people of influence and power. I think it was Birbeck University where over 100 years ago the first woman graduated as a doctor, and then black people came after that eventually.

I recently attended a talk where it was stated that there are 15,000 academics and professors in the U.K., but only 50 are black. This was in the Guardian as well. The problem with the Academy is that it likes to present itself as objective, and a founder of knowledge. But one of the problems you may find, especially at PhD level, is that it’s ok to teach you at Undergraduate or Masters level, but at PhD level it’s your own ideas. You have to find professors to supervise you. Now if they are not interested in my work, I can still do the research, but I will not get any academic accreditation for it. So what you find is that people with research interests stick together, as you support people that have similar ideas as you.

While it is presented as objective all the way through your studies, when you get to PhD level and above, which I can’t speak too much about, to secure funding and all these other things, someone else has to support your ideas. If your ideas do not necessarily agree with what a person is about, they won't take it on. I have had one friend who wants to do her PhD, and she’s had to ‘shop’ her PhD proposal around at different universities.

Some academics are too busy, and some aren’t interested. When I look back to my studies on ‘whiteness’, there is a kind of subconscious superiority thing. Les Back has produced some work on it, and he’s a white man himself. I’ve got a friend from Barbados who is doing her PhD at the moment, and she faced many challenges towards her ideas and some assumptions reminding her of her ethnicity.

On top of that, the Academy is not accountable to anybody for racial discrimination. At least in the States, not that it’s a good thing, but segregation forced people to set up their own institutions. So you have Howard University (a Historically Black College and University) for example. But here we are integrated and it’s more covert, so we work our way through a system that, in some respect, tries to contain or keep you in a certain position.

I think both women and men can be put off. I think it can be more difficult for a black man at postgraduate level because at least if you’re a woman there’s the view that “I can kind of deal with that.” But masculinity in that environment is more threatening. There’s a lot of unspoken politics, and so this is why a support group is important.

Look out for the final part of this 3-part conversation on Sunday 26th May, where Monique speaks about young people and academic careers, academics she admires, and her future plans after her PhD.

2 comments :

  1. There is definitely a place in our day and age for greater awareness of the social issues facing black women in European society. The time is now. Thank you for choosing to be the medium!

    NN

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi NN,

    We totally agree with you, and we hope that Yaaya can help build a strong platform for discussing such social issues. Our approach is very much about creating dialogue and encouraging engagement to give everyone the opportunity to use their voice for positive influence. Thank you for joining the conversation. We look forward to hearing more of what you have to say!

    Yaaya

    ReplyDelete

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