Research, Reflexivity, and the Making of a PhD

Embarking on a PhD is not only a process of producing new knowledge, it is also a journey of becoming. This two-day workshop invites doctoral researchers at all stages to examine the central role reflexivity plays in shaping research pathways, scholarly identities, and the intellectual, emotional, and ethical dimensions of doctoral study. Through interactive discussions, reflective exercises, and guided activities, participants will critically examine how their positionalities, values, assumptions, and lived experiences shape the questions they ask, the methods they choose, and the knowledge they ultimately co-produce 

Through interactive discussions, reflective exercises, and guided activities, participants will engage with three broad themes: 

• Reflexivity in research practice — Participants will explore how personal histories, social identities, and disciplinary cultures shape academic practice; examine entanglements between self, subject, and fieldwork; and consider the politics of knowledge production in international development and related fields. 

• Integrating reflexivity into design and writing — Guided activities will help participants develop concrete strategies for embedding reflexivity into research design, methodology, and scholarly writing, moving beyond gesture towards sustained, intentional practice. 

• The relational dimensions of doctoral life — The workshop addresses what often goes unspoken in PhD programmes: the navigating of complex supervisor–student relationships, the experience of being misunderstood or misaligned, and the question of whether reflexivity must begin with the self. Participants will share experiences of uncertainty, vulnerability, and transformation, and explore how these relational challenges can be negotiated constructively — towards a place where both researcher and mentor find their footing. 

By the end of the workshop, participants will have articulated a clearer sense of their scholarly voice, developed a more intentional reflexive practice, and gained tools to position themselves confidently within their research. Research, Reflexivity, and the Making of a PhD invites doctoral researchers to see their work not simply as a technical exercise, but as an evolving and deeply human process of inquiry.