scholarly journals A Qualitative Understanding of Doctoral Students’ Experience of Embodiment

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Abdul Waheed ◽  

Human beings exist in the world ‘bodily’ and their existence is inexorable. International doctoral students’ understanding of themselves and their perspectives of the learning environment is through their embodiment. The purpose of the present research was to understand doctoral students’ embodiment experiences in relation to a culturally and academically diverse university environment. This understanding was gained through the phenomenological lense of qualitative research. For this purpose, thirteen doctoral students were selected through maximum variation sampling from the Austrian public sector universities located in different states. They were doing doctoral studies in various physical and social sciences at different stages of their dissertation. The understanding of the phenomenon was sought through semi-structured interviews. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed by coding the text and categorizing it into themes that emerged while frequently reading the transcripts. The emerging themes include ‘stress and anxiety, ‘confidence and motivation’ and ‘physical fatigue and exertion’. Most of the students experienced ‘confidence’, ‘encouragement’, ‘depression’, ‘nervousness’, ‘homesickness’, ‘stress’ and ‘frustration’ when asked about ‘lived body’ or corporeality. The study has implications in understanding doctoral students’ ‘bodily’ existence in the universities.

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 303
Author(s):  
Lopes ◽  
Lourenço

The significance of ‘identity’ in doctoral studies is widely acknowledged. Nevertheless, despite much research on what is involved in the process of identification with/as a researcher, very little attention has been devoted to understanding the effects of the internationalization of higher education in promoting feelings of belonging to a researcher community that goes beyond the national space. This qualitative case study aims to understand whether and how doctoral students in the Humanities and Social Sciences develop a ‘European’ or ‘international’ researcher identity during their doctoral studies. To address this aim, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve home and international doctoral students from a Portuguese higher education institution. Results from thematic analysis suggest that although the dichotomy ‘European’/‘international’ was not always clear in participants’ minds, those students who undertook mobility experiences or took part in international research networks or supervisory teams were more likely to regard themselves as ‘international’ or ‘European’ researchers. The implications of these findings for doctoral programs in an era of internationalization are highlighted.


ATLAS JOURNAL ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (40) ◽  
pp. 1740-1758
Author(s):  
Kayhan ATİK

The need for cover is a requirement in all parts of the world. More or less this need has been realized in almost every society. In addition, clothing is one of the basic needs of human beings. This basic need has become a pleasure over time, and the temporary innovation that has entered the life of society with the desire to dress completely or the need for change has turned into an excessive, common indulgence shown by the society for a certain period of time. When we evaluate clothing in terms of nations, it has gained very different meanings with the effect of the cultural structure of the society. Considering this situation in the context of civilizations, of course, we can say that it has presented a similar privilege. In short, every society has made its dress code suitable for its culture and civilization. As in the rest of the world, the robes, dresses, turbans and fabrics of the Ottoman sultans showed themselves clearly as an indicator of the position, wealth and status. Especially caftans, fabrics and patterns, each one is a masterpiece of art. Despite having a simple form according to researches, Ottoman caftans have a very magnificent appearance and beauty. The decorations made for these caftans, lining and moldings, fur ornaments, ornaments made with buttons are very perfect. These caftans have aroused the admiration of the whole world with their fabric, motif and splendor, and many researches have been done on these caftans, which have been exhibited and preserved in various local and foreign museums. The sultan's clothes in the Topkapı Palace Museum Sultan's Clothes Archive consist of approximately 2500 pieces. Most of these are hilat, robes and shalwars. In addition, although it is less, there are also children's (prince's) clothes, so there are no women's clothes. RESEARCH ARTICLE ATLAS Journal International Refereed Journal On Social Sciences e-ISSN:2619-936X Arrival Date : 19.03.2021 Published Date : 30.04.2021 2021, Vol:7, Issue:40 pp: 1740- 1758 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31568/atlas.676 ATLAS INTERNATIONAL REFEREED JOURNAL ON SOCIAL SCIENCES Year: 2021 Vol:7 Issue: 40 1740 Here, 21 caftans belonging to Fatih Sultan Mehmet, 77 caftans belonging to Suleiman the Magnificent, 13 caftans belonging to I. Ahmet, II. 30 caftans belonging to Osman, IV. While it is known that there were 27 caftans belonging to Murat, the caftans belonging to six rulers before Fatih Sultan Mehmet were not mentioned by name. In this study, the money spent for the clothes of the sultan in the Archives of the Prime Ministry Ottoman Archives, Topkapı Palace Museum, the cocks and dresses that the sultan had to buy from the council; In dâbü's-sâ, we will focus on the kafân, sarık, other items and values that are deserved by the landlords, the palace-i Atiq aghas, the boys, the Treasury, the cellar, the lords of the Voyage rooms and the people in charge. Keywords: Ottoman, Sultan, Bureaucrat, Clothes, Fabric, Special Items.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Skakni

Purpose This study aims to examine how PhD students with diverse profiles, intentions and expectations manage to navigate their doctoral paths within the same academic context under similar institutional conditions. Drawing on Giddens’ theory of structuration, this study explores how their primary reasons, motives and motivations for engaging in doctoral studies influence what they perceive as facilitating or constraining to progress, their strategies to face the challenges they encounter and their expectations regarding supervision. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative design, the analysis was conducted on a data subset from an instrumental case study (Stake, 2013) about PhD students’ persistence and progression. The focus is placed on semi-structured interviews carried out with 36 PhD students from six faculties in humanities and social sciences fields at a large Canadian university. Findings The analysis reveals three distinct scenarios regarding how these PhD students navigate their doctoral paths: the quest for the self; the intellectual quest; and the professional quest. Depending on their quest type, the nature and intensity of PhD students’ concerns and challenges, as well as their strategies and the support they expected, differed. Originality/value This study contributes to the discussion about PhD students’ challenges and persistence by offering a unique portrait of how diverse students’ profiles, intentions and expectations can concretely shape a doctoral experience.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dendi Sutarto

Abstract The interconnectivity paradigm, axiologically, wants to offer a new, more open, dialogue and dialogue view of the world of human beings and scientists, able to open dialogue and cooperation, be transparent, accountable to the public and forward-looking. While ontologically, the relationship between the various disciplines of science becomes more open and dialogue of scholarship derived from the texts (Hadlarah al-Nash), and the factual-historical-empirical scholarly culture, social sciences and the natural sciences (Hadlarah al-Ilm ) as well as ethical-philosophical science culture (Hadlarah al-Falsafah). This paper argues that the thought of M. Amin Abdullah contributed greatly to scholarship related to contemporary humanisties approaches, such as hermeneutics, contemporary linguistics, the natural sciences, by revealing the scientific treasures of Bayani, Burhani and Irfani in the Islamic cultural tradition. Both traditions are attempted to compare in matrices and then deliver on a choice of scientific formats that are integrative and interconnective and able to disperse the tensions of religious social conflict in multicultural societies. Keywords: M. Amin Abdullah, integrative-interconetive science, conflict resolution, epistimologi  Abstrak Paradigma interkoneksitas, secara aksiologi, ingin menawarkan pandangan dunia (word view) manusia beragama dan ilmuan yang baru, yang lebih terbuka, mampu membuka dialog dan kerjasama, transparan, dapat dipertanggungjawabkan secara publik dan berpandangan ke depan. Sedangkan secara ontologis, hubungan antara berbagai disiplin keilmuan menjadi semakin terbuka dan mendialogkan keilmuan bersumber pada teks-teks (Hadlarah al-Nash), dan budaya keilmuan faktual-historis-empiris yakni ilmu-ilmu sosial dan ilmu-ilmu kealaman (Hadlarah al-Ilm) serta budaya keilmuan etis-fiosofis (Hadlarah al-Falsafah). Tulisan ini berpendapat bahwa pemikiran M. Amin Abdullah berkontribusi besar bagi keilmuan terkait pendekatan humanisties-kontemporer, seperti hermeneutik, linguistis kontemporer, ilmu-ilmu kealaman, dengan mengungkap kembali kekuatan khazanah  keilmuan Bayani, Burhani dan Irfani dalam tradisi budaya Islam. Kedua tradisi tersebut dicoba dibandingkan dalam matrik dan kemudian mengantarkan pada suatu pilihan format keilmuan yang bersifat integratif dan interkonektif dan mampu meredahkan ketegangan konflik sosial keagamaan dalam masyarakat multikulturalisme. Keywords: M. Amin Abdullah, integratif-interkonetif keilmuan, resolusi konflik,epistimologi                 


2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-73
Author(s):  
You Zhang ◽  
Michael O'Shea ◽  
Leping Mou

The study aims to explore which factors influence international students’ decision to pursue doctoral studies in Canada. Drawing on the push-pull model and the mechanism of educational decision making, this study uses semi-structured interviews to gather data and explores themes such as political and economic forces, institutional factors, social background and experience, and individual motivation in students’ decision making. Our study identifies multiple factors at the individual, institutional, and country levels that influence students’ decision making, including students’ past experiences, funding, faculty members, and immigration policies. Moreover, it finds that the factors vary by students’ regions of origin and disciplines of study. Our findings, focused on international doctoral students in Canada, add to the ongoing conversation about  student mobility and add nuances on international students’ decision-making process in times of shifting landscape of higher education internationalization.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-366
Author(s):  
Takahiro Sato

The purpose of this study was to describe and explain Asian international doctoral students’ sojourn experiences into Adapted Physical Education (APE) programs at two universities. The participants were six doctoral students from Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. This case study was conceptualized within sojourner theory (Siu, 1952). The data sources were a demographic questionnaire and face-to-face interviews conducted during the participants’ doctoral studies. The emergent themes were (a) research challenges; (b) academic, social, and hierarchical relationships with doctoral advisors; (c) burnout; and (d) situation-specific anxiety. To better support international doctoral students, this study encourages academic departments, administrators, faculty, and all doctoral students to learn to view themselves as playing various roles including academic advisors, teachers, and graduate students.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-179
Author(s):  
GULBARAM KULZHANOVA ◽  

Task. The phenomenon of human capital in line with socio-philosophical analysis requires multilateral study, where intellectual development comes to the fore. Indeed, the decisive role in the development of any country in the world belongs to man as a bearer of wealth [10: 108]. The concept of human capital is gradually acquiring the status of a general scientific concept (it is already more and more often used in pedagogy, sociology, political science, cultural studies and other social sciences with a humanitarian profile). In a post-industrial society, the sphere of culture is revealed in its new state, including family, education, science, computer science, art, acquiring a qualitatively new role, becoming an increasingly leading sector of production, its “basis” and driving force [5: 6]. It follows that philosophy plays a methodological, integrative role in the origin and development of human capital. Based on the analysis of the work of domestic and foreign researchers, as well as the ideas of classics and contemporaries of philosophical thought, the prerequisites for the formation of the concept of human capital, and their basic theoretical approaches are shown. Methodology and research methods. The study traces the idea that human capital in conditions of rapid change determines the dynamics and direction of social development. Ensuring its compliance with social values and the requirements of the time becomes an important task of the targeted socio-cultural development of the individual and society [15: 1]. To clarify the content of the concept of “human capital”, the author uses a historical analysis and a content analysis method as a scientific method of cognition. Based on these methods, text data was studied, the essence of which is to divide text data into structural elements, detect keywords in documents, and determine the frequency of their references. These methods are the main ones in the study of the essence of concepts, the content of media messages, answers to questions of sociological research [11: 29]. Conclusions. In a modern transformational society, in the subtext of human value in the role of capital and resource, positive and negative contradictory directions arise, and their solution requires socio-philosophical research. The ambiguity of the wording of the category“human capital” is based on the categorical relationship between its forms in science and the leveling in the interpretation of the concept of the fact of profitability. As a key evidence, the idea that human capital is a multifaceted socio-cultural resource of society is substantiated. It is regarded as an engine of historical progress in the social and cultural spheres. In the system of views, the role of man in society allows us to distinguish the objective basis of the modern theory of human capital, its historical roots, its scientific logic of significance as the fundamental basis of historical progress. The scope of the study / the possibility of subsequent use of the results of scientific work. The main form of the country's wealth is the leading level of intellectual and spiritual development of the citizen, taking the form of human capital, ensuring the innovation process in every area of its activity. A measure of human innovative capital, vitality and resilience of a society becomes its ability to provide a social space for creative, creative activity of people [14: 1181]. Human capital, like all internal personal wealth, cannot be imagined without the spiritual and moral component of the essence of man and his being. Spirituality is the basis of almost everything, everything that has to do with the self-realization of a person. It can be argued that certain spiritual attitudes explicitly or discreetly direct any activity of each person and all social structures. The absence of the spiritual and moral component of technogenic civilization has led mankind to a standstill. Now more than ever, a qualitative shift in the human mind is required, fundamentally changing his worldview. In the system of education and upbringing, it is necessary to return to the thoughts and ideas of great thinkers, starting from antiquity and ending with modernity in the spiritual and moral elevation of man. Practical value. Today, increased attention to the socio-philosophical aspects of human capital comes down to the practical significance of the identified problem. Therefore, the proposed topic can be applied as a theoretical instruction for social research institutes. The conceptual results of the study provide a theoretical basis for a deeper understanding of social transformationsin society, and on the other hand, it can be used as a theoretical basis for future comparative socio-philosophical studies of human capital. Research materials may be useful in the preparation of textbooks, courses in social philosophy. The author proposes the introduction of a special course for undergraduates and doctoral students“Human capital and its manifestations in the development of the Republic of Kazakhstan”. And also in universities, in the process of teaching social sciences and humanities, to practice conducting scientific discussions on the above topic. Originality / value. We believe that the topic of the article touched upon will give an impetus to reflection and encourage the writing of articles on the development of human capital from a position of socio-philosophical analysis. As for the concept of the phenomenon under study, its extrapolation opportunities will be realized on the “reciprocal flows” of the economy and other important areas of social life - science, culture, education, politics, etc. The problem under study is addressed to social scientists, employees of the management system, university professors and doctoral students, as well as all those who are interested in the problems of the formation and development of human capital in the world.


2021 ◽  
pp. 102831532110420
Author(s):  
Xing Xu ◽  
Ly Thi Tran

This study delves into emic perceptions of Chinese international doctoral students’ navigation of a disrupted study trajectory during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with students and the conceptual framework of bioecological systems theory and needs-response agency, the article reveals a nuanced picture of how activities, relations and roles nested in a PhD study trajectory are impacted by and respond to the crisis. Specifically, the pandemic has instigated a ripple effect upon PhD study that is embedded within a complex system of person−environment factors in the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem and macrosystem. Confronting these changes and challenges, the students enact needs−response agency to cope with these impacts so as to restore stability. The study concludes with some practical implications for related stakeholders in the bioecological system to generate conditions and support for students to harness possibilities for growth amidst and beyond the health crisis.


10.28945/4867 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 593-609
Author(s):  
Solveig Cornér ◽  
Kirsi Pyhältö ◽  
Jouni A Peltonen ◽  
Erika Löfström

Aim/Purpose: This study focused on advancing understanding of individual variations in doctoral students’ interest in their doctoral studies and how they related to experiences of burnout and drop-out intentions in Denmark and Finland. Background: Ph.D. students’ experiences of interest, burnout, and dropout intentions among Finnish and Danish Ph.D. students have not been researched before. Research with a person-centred approach exploring individual variations in students undertaking doctoral studies in two comparable but distinct socio-cultural contexts is limited. Methodology: This study uses exploratory factor analysis, K-means cluster analyses in combination with Pairwise comparisons, ANOVA, and Chi-square test. A total of 365 doctoral students in social sciences and humanities disciplines in Finland and Denmark responded to a Cross-Cultural Doctoral Experience Survey. Contribution: This study contributes understanding on individual variation in doctoral students’ interest across two socio-cultural contexts by identifying four personal interest profiles. The profiles were invariant across the contexts. The study also shed further light on the interrelation between the interest in research and the risk for suffering from burnout and entertaining dropout intentions. Findings: The interest profiles identified among the Ph.D. students were the High interest profile, the Moderate interest profile, the Developmental, research and impact interest profile, and the Development and impact interest profile. All interest profiles exhibited high levels of the developmental interest, however they varied especially in the weight given to instrumental and research interests. Ph.D. students in the Moderate interest profile showed signs of burnout, and they were prone to consider dropping out. Also, individuals in the Development and impact interest profile considered more frequently dropping out of their studies. Recommendations for Practitioners: Investing in the identification and support of interest among Ph.D. students is worthwhile, as interest is not a permanent characteristic of the individual, and the combination of research, development, and impact interest indicates a lower risk for burnout and drop-out intentions. Recommendation for Researchers: It is possible that interest profiles are the same across the two national contexts investigated in this study, but their underpinnings and premises are different. It is likely that a qualitative approach would shed more light on these foci. Impact on Society: The results imply that personal interest was not determined by the socio-cultural differences between the countries, indicating that cultivating doctoral students’ personal interest, particularly a combination of research, development, and impact, provides a potential buffer for doctoral students’ burnout and drop-out, which has been raised as global concerns among policy makers, researchers, and doctoral education developers and administrators during the past decade. The study has impact on doctoral studies in international communities. Future Research: The results in this study reflect specific characteristics of social sciences and their applied nature. It remains for future research to investigate the extent to which the identified four profiles of interest in relation to burnout and drop-out intentions emerge in the natural sciences.


10.28945/4240 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 259-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Gao

Aim/Purpose: For the purpose of better understanding the reasons of their withdrawal and experiences, this study seeks to elicit the voices of Chinese international students who have withdrawn from doctoral studies in Canada. Background: This study used Tinto’s institutional departure model as a framework. His model illustrates that the experience of individuals in that institution modifies their initial intentions and commitments. The scholarly literature on degree completion of graduate students and existing studies on experiences of international students in the North American context also guided the inquiry of this study. Methodology: This is a qualitative study with narrative inquiry as a means for investigation and exploration. Four participants were recruited by purposive sampling, and in-depth interview was used as the approach to collect data. Data were collected in Mandarin and were transcribed into texts. Two rounds of analysis were applied and then the findings were translated into English. Contribution: This study added information to the literature on international doctoral students’ experiences and explained how socio-cultural factors could impact doctoral students’ decision-making. Findings: The themes included: experiences with doctoral supervisors; partnership and the perception of gender roles; family of origin and the importance of education; and educational differences between China and Canada. Recommendations for Practitioners: At a practice level, universities could consider delivering series of workshops to help international graduate students start their journey. Departmental administrative bodies could consider building community for doctoral students and tracking their study paths to better assist students. Given the increased number of international students on campuses, it is time for university staff and faculties to become more aware of what a more diverse student population means. Professional development workshops would help to develop professors’ cultural awareness. Recommendation for Researchers: My research is an example of addressing translation issues in cross-language and cross-cultural settings. Qualitative research is considered valid when the distance between the meanings as experienced by the participants and the meanings as interpreted in the findings is as close as possible. Therefore, I would recommend in the condition that if the researcher and the participant(s) share the same language, the best practice would be to transcribe and analyze data in the original language to shorten the distance from the meanings that are made by participants and the meanings that are interpreted by the researcher(s). Language meanings do lose during the translation process; as researchers, we should try our best to present our participants as truly as possible. Impact on Society: The number of international students who choose to conduct doctoral studies is increasing every year. They are making contributions to the host countries in various ways such as contribution to the enrichment of higher education, the development of research, the promotion of global understanding etc. However, their study status and overall well-being may not be getting enough attention from both the scholarly research and in real practice. Thus, the experiences shared by my research participants who used to be doctoral students and left their studies halfway could add value and knowledge to the understanding of this group of students and to better assist the internationalization of higher education institutions. Future Research: Future studies could probe more on other ethnicities and cultures. Also, numerous studies have been conducted to examine the relationship between doctoral students and their supervisors; however, the incompatibility between doctoral students and their supervisors and coping strategies in that situation is still an area that needs more investigation.


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