Liberating scholarly writing : the power of personal narrative / Robert J. Nash ; foreword by Carol Witherell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nash, Robert J.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

English language--Rhetoric--Study and teaching.

English language.

Academic writing--Study and teaching.

Academic writing.

Autobiography--Authorship.

Autobiography.

Physical Description:

x, 179 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Teachers College Press, [2004]

Summary:

In this provocative volume, Robert Nash argues for the validity of an exciting, alternative approach to doing scholarly writing that he calls the "scholarly personal narrative" (SPN).

Contents:

1 Personal Narrative Writing Matters 1

A Brief Interlude: Richard Rorty-A Philosopher on a Mission 10

A Personal Confession 12

2 What Is Scholarly Personal Narrative Writing? 23

Your Own Life Signifies 23

Hearing the Sound of Your Own Voice 24

Memoirs, Personal Narrative Essays, and Autobiographies 27

Just How Personal Does SPN Writing Have to Be? 30

But Where's the "Truth" in All of This?: A Quick Primer on Postmodernism 32

But Where's the Scholarship? 42

Scholarship from a More Personal Angle: To Be a Scholar Is to Be a Lover 46

A Closing Reflection: Ruth Behar-My Ideal Scholar 48

3 Tentative Guidelines for Writing Scholarly Personal Narratives 52

The Three Most Common Fears of Writing Personal Narratives 52

Ten Tentative Guidelines for Writing SPNs 56

A Closing Reflection: Jane Tompkins-An SPN Writer Extraordinaire 70

4 Narratives of Transition and Self-Empowerment 75

Confronting the Chasm 75

Kelly: "A Personal Account of One Athletic Trainer's Journey through the Lessons of Life, Learning, and Teaching" 76

David: "Embracing Human Suffering-Toward an Emotional Pedagogy" 81

Joe: "A Lost Season-The Nature, Culture, and Prevention of Athletic Team Hazing" 85

Pamela: "Living a Life Beyond Fear-A Narrative Exploration of College Career Counseling and Student Affairs Professional Preparation" 90

Conclusion: Transition and Self-Empowerment 96

5 Narratives of Authenticity and Connection 99

We Profess Who We Are by the Way We Live Our Lives 99

Dave: "Who Am I and What Am I Doing Here?-Postmodern Education that Supports Identity in a 'Normal' World" 101

Patti: "Composing a Pedagogy of Mattering-A Scholarly Personal Narrative on What It Means to Matter in Education" 107

Doug: "Reconciling the Life of the Spirit with the Life of an Educational Leader-A Personal Account of 25 Years of Policy Work in the Vermont Department of Education" 112

Lou: "Preparing Holistic Educational Leaders through the Use of Instructional Narrative-A Personal Account of One Principal's Leadership Persona" 119

Conclusion: Authenticity and Connection 126

6 Writing Ourselves as Educators and Scholars: Controversies and Challenges 130

Passion, Resilience, and Faith 130

Ethics: Do We Own Our Own Lives? 131

Truth: Are Facts the Same as Truth? 136

Politics: Why Do Certain Discourses Get Privileged in the Academy? 141

Writing Is Writing: Starting, Sustaining, and Finishing 156.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 167-172) and index.

ISBN:

080774526X

0807745251

OCLC:

55730113