Universities as ‘Global Citizens’: Reflections and Learning …
101
Researcher A: You do whatever… I don’t know if it’s tough love… I feel that I really left
the group because I was ill [This refers to a WhatsApp group where the researchers and
the women leaders had discussions and shared information. The group was created after the
residency. Researcher A left the group due to a period of illness] I didn’t come back to the
women’s group because I feel I need to let them go and I feel they need to find their own
thing and maybe at some point we can come back but it is time for them to go and do their
thing, and I feel that I don’t want to intervene in that process…they are powerful enough
to go and do their own thing …I feel hopefully they are at that stage… and if they need
something they can come to us rather than us asking them if they need something.
Researcher B: Hmm definitely.
Thus, whilst agency was discussed extensively in the reflection, identity seemed
to be a theme that was not as developed for the three researchers. Due to the funders’
requirements the project had tight time constraints. Therefore, it is possible that
the researchers were focusing more directly on agency because they had to make
decisions and take action in short periods of time. This focus on practicalities and
logistics may not have left enough space for reflection in other areas requiring deeper
thinking, such as identity. As outputs are measured, at least in the UK, not only for
their quality but also for their quantity, developing reflection on researchers’ identities
and their links to agency and power relations, might be difficult.
5 Discussion and Conclusions
The results showed that the researchers were able to discern specific learning about
their own motivations towards designing and implementing international sustainable
development projects in the context of the public good/global citizenship mission of
higher education.
5.1 Agency and Identity and Their Links to Asymmetrical
and Symmetrical Power Relations
The researchers agreed that their agency was a fundamental concept linked to power
relations and through agency, some neo-colonial approaches could be avoided.
However, trying to avoid neo-colonial approaches is not enough. Asymmetrical relationships were still present and historically, paternalistic characteristics of human
interactions are difficult to break (Stein et al. 2019). All three researchers were able
to recognise at least some of their own conscious power differentials manifesting as
asymmetric power relations, as seen in Sect. 3. Awareness of this is however, only
the first step and efforts to mitigate possible asymmetries in power relations should
be considered. Stein et al. (2019) highlight the reproduction and retrenchment of
101
Researcher A: You do whatever… I don’t know if it’s tough love… I feel that I really left
the group because I was ill [This refers to a WhatsApp group where the researchers and
the women leaders had discussions and shared information. The group was created after the
residency. Researcher A left the group due to a period of illness] I didn’t come back to the
women’s group because I feel I need to let them go and I feel they need to find their own
thing and maybe at some point we can come back but it is time for them to go and do their
thing, and I feel that I don’t want to intervene in that process…they are powerful enough
to go and do their own thing …I feel hopefully they are at that stage… and if they need
something they can come to us rather than us asking them if they need something.
Researcher B: Hmm definitely.
Thus, whilst agency was discussed extensively in the reflection, identity seemed
to be a theme that was not as developed for the three researchers. Due to the funders’
requirements the project had tight time constraints. Therefore, it is possible that
the researchers were focusing more directly on agency because they had to make
decisions and take action in short periods of time. This focus on practicalities and
logistics may not have left enough space for reflection in other areas requiring deeper
thinking, such as identity. As outputs are measured, at least in the UK, not only for
their quality but also for their quantity, developing reflection on researchers’ identities
and their links to agency and power relations, might be difficult.
5 Discussion and Conclusions
The results showed that the researchers were able to discern specific learning about
their own motivations towards designing and implementing international sustainable
development projects in the context of the public good/global citizenship mission of
higher education.
5.1 Agency and Identity and Their Links to Asymmetrical
and Symmetrical Power Relations
The researchers agreed that their agency was a fundamental concept linked to power
relations and through agency, some neo-colonial approaches could be avoided.
However, trying to avoid neo-colonial approaches is not enough. Asymmetrical relationships were still present and historically, paternalistic characteristics of human
interactions are difficult to break (Stein et al. 2019). All three researchers were able
to recognise at least some of their own conscious power differentials manifesting as
asymmetric power relations, as seen in Sect. 3. Awareness of this is however, only
the first step and efforts to mitigate possible asymmetries in power relations should
be considered. Stein et al. (2019) highlight the reproduction and retrenchment of