The Practice of Doctoral Education: A Bourdieusian Analysis of the Socialization of Doctoral Students
Attention to doctoral education from scholars and policy makers has increased dramatically over the last two decades. Recent research on doctoral education has focused on the experiences of doctoral student and on issues related to financial aid, time to degree, completion rates, supervisor relations and socialization. The socialization framework has been used most frequently to understand the experiences of doctoral students, and this research continues to explore students’ experiences through the lens of socialization. A crucial component of this research is the use of Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice to examine doctoral education, in general, and the socialization of doctoral students, in particular. The concepts of habitus, capital, field and practice were used to explore doctoral education as constitutive of particular processes and expectations that underscore specific notions of success. In doing so, the socialization of doctoral students was examined through these tools to determine the extent to which different socialization mechanisms were experienced differently by students. Finally, an investigation into the histories, experiences and relationships of these students prior to enrolment in doctoral study suggested that particular elements of students’ pasts were highlighted as significant factors to their understanding of the expectations of doctoral study and ability to demonstrate competence with academic tasks, both of which impacted their socialization during doctoral education. This research revealed that doctoral education operated with particular rules and expectations that promote specific notions of success. These rules, expectations and parameters of success were deeply tied to demonstrations of task competence through the traditional academic tripartite. Considerable discussion highlighted operationalizations of “research” that included securing external, competitive scholarships, publishing in academic, peer-reviewed venues and presenting at disciplinary academic conferences. Students who were able to achieve these experiences were deemed to be more “successful” during doctoral study. Importantly, there was a tendency of “reinforcing advantage” to the experiences of “successful” doctoral students to the extent that those students who demonstrated acumen with particular aspects of academic work were offered and encouraged to take on more experiences and responsibilities that enriched their doctoral education.
Doctoral Education, Socialization, Bourdieu
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