Editorial

摘要

In early November 2013, two seemingly unrelated events took place in Melbourne, Australia. One of these events is world renowned, the other of world importance. The first was the annual Melbourne Cup horse racing carnival; the second, the annual conference of the Association for Qualitative Research (AQR) held in association with the international Discourse, Power, Resistance community. The theme of the conference was Sub-prime Scholarship, and through that lens, presenters and participants explored in diverse ways, through various qualitative research approaches, and from first-hand personal experience what it means to work in and construct identities through contemporary academic spaces as they are subjected to shaping and re-shaping as the dictates of an almost ubiquitous neoliberal ascendancy (and, arguably in many parts of the world, a neoconservative resurrection) require. To quote from the conference program: The aim of this conference is to provide the opportunity to explore the nature of academic work, particularly as it becomes increasingly shaped, examined and defined by ERA, PRBF and RAE/REF research assessment exercises, increasing levels of performativity, and harsh effects on academics of new managerialism.