Becoming Reading Group: reflections on assembling a collegiate, caring collective

Melina Ey, Kathleen Mee, Jai Allison, Susan Caves, Eliza Crosbie, Ainsley Hughes, Faith Curtis, Rupert Doney, Penny Dunstan, Ryan Jones, Adam Tyndall, Tom Baker, Jenny Cameron, Michelle Duffy, Rae Dufty-Jones, Kevin Dunn, Paul Hodge, Matthew Kearnes, Pauline McGuirk, Phillip O’NeillKristian Ruming, Meg Sherval, Miriam Williams, Sarah Wright

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In neoliberalising universities, collegial and collective practices such as reading groups are often positioned by students, staff and managers as less important than meeting individual KPIs (such as producing research publications, seeking research grants, or meeting the increasing demands of producing quality teaching outcomes.) However, reading groups can be vital for cultivating caring collectives and spaces of collegiality. In this paper we use assemblage thinking to explore 25 years of a Geography reading group at the University of Newcastle. The paper addresses two questions: what does reading together do and make possible; and how might we think about the labours of reading together as a way of building caring collectives. The paper draws on reflections from 24 past and present members of reading group to explore how these kinds of academic practices nourish our working lives.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)283-305
Number of pages23
JournalAustralian Geographer
Volume51
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Jul 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Geographical Society of New South Wales Inc.

Keywords

  • academic practice
  • assemblage
  • care
  • Collegiality
  • postgraduate education

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