Presentation at the Challenging the Binaries international conference, hosted by the Centre for the Study of Literacies at the School of Education, University of Sheffield, 29 June 2012. http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/education/research/groups/csnl/conference/index

1. Digital Identit(y/ies)
Andy Coverdale
Challenging the Binaries
University of Sheffield | 29 June 2012

2. Image Jens Hesse | Woman (African) | oil on corduroy (2011) http://www.jenshesse.com
Digital Identity
Socio­technical and virtuality constructs
Identity is ‘multiphrenic’ (Gergan, 2000)
Identity as reified forms of social and
cultural practice

3. Doctoral Context
PhD as transformative
Critical role in the development of an academic /
professional identity
Positionality – locating oneself in the research ‘field’
‘Fractured subjectivities’ (Barnacle & Mewburn, 2010)
Identity and agency

4. Based on Usher, R., Bryant, I., & Johnston, R. (1996). Adult Education and the
Postmodern Challenge: Learning Beyond the Limits. London: Routledge..

5. Identity is…
‘Confessional’ Practice ‘Critical’ Practice
(Modernist) (Postmodernist)
Determined by dominant Socially constructed and
structures culturally mediated
Stable Flexible and in flux
Singular and developmental Multiple and fragmentary
Unified across multiple Diversified across multiple
contexts contexts

6. Sociocultural Perspectives
Identity as reified forms of perfomativity ­ social
production, interaction and participation
Prioritisation, roles and ‘provisional selves’
Situated learning ­ increased capacity to participate
in communities of practice

7. Figured
Holland, D., Lachicotte, W. Jr., Skinner, D., & Cain, C. (1998). Identity and agency in
World
“
cultural worlds. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.
a socially and culturally constructed
realm of interpretation in which
particular characters and actors are
“
recognized, significance is assigned to
certain acts, and particular outcomes
are valued over others.
Holland et al. (1998)

8. Research Design
_________________________________________
Participants
Six PhD students:
• Different stages of PhD
• Humanities, Soc. Sci. & interdisciplinary
• UK-based - ‘traditional’ faculty & DTCs
Data Collection
15-month period:
• Digital artefacts (blog posts, tweets etc.)
• Field notes
• Participant-reported accounts
• Three interviews with each participant
Data Analysis
Activity Theory:
• Descriptive analytical framework
• Open coding and thick description

12. Some Findings
_____________________________________________
Identity Construction
• Cultural artefacts
• Genre knowledge and figured worlds
Negotiating Practice Contexts
• Multiple doctoral research cultures
• Peripheral doctoral contexts
Authenticity in Digital Contexts
• “Privileged Insight”
• Social, cultural and political dimensions

13. Some Findings
_____________________________________________
Partiality in Digital Contexts
• Partially realised identities
• Integrated with other doctoral practices
• Dominant cultural practices
Ambiguity in Digital Contexts
• Interactive vs. broadcast metaphors
• Imagined audiences

14. Digital
Beetham, H., McGill, L., & Littlejohn, A. (2009). Thriving in the 21st century: Literacies
Literacies
for the digital age (LLiDA Project). The Caledonian Academy. JISC.
“ (R)ecognising technology practice as
diverse and constitutive of personal
identity, including identity in different
peer, subject and workplace
communities, and individual styles of
participation.
Beetham et al. (2009:3)
“

15. Thanks
Andy Coverdale
Blog: http://www.phdblog.net
Twitter: @andycoverdale