The University of West London

'That blinking cursor demands words from me': a wandering scholar reflects on academic life

Date: Thursday 14 March 2013
Time: 5pm for 5.30pm start
Venue: Ealing site, St Mary's Road, Ealing

Speaker: Professor Ronald Barnett

Despite its undeniable difficulties and challenges, is writing good for the soul? Just why - in being academic - might one want to write? How can one embark on such a journey, and in what spirit can one pursue it? In this talk, Professor Barnett will reflect on his (academic) writing and the place it has held in his academic life - exploring the profound inter-relationships between professional experiences and his writing.

'Perhaps more than being a teacher, administrator, researcher, scholar, manager, academic leader, advisor, consultant - all of which roles that I have held - I have come to see myself as a writer. I have come to develop a will to write. In a sense, all my academic writing, even though it has been somewhat theoretical and even abstract and philosophical, has been autobiographical. How and why did writing become so important to me? How has it helped me with my life? Why am I so passionate about writing? To reflect on my writing is to reflect not only on my academic life, but on my life itself. This talk will, therefore, be shamelessly autobiographical.'

Speaker information

Ronald Barnett is a Visiting Professor within the Institute of Teaching, Innovation and Learning and Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at the Institute of Education, University of London.

He is the author of ten sole-authored books, and eleven co-authored books; and over 100 refereed papers and more than 100 writings. He is an international speaker and consultant, and has been an invited speaker in around 35 countries. Just published is 'Imagining the University' (Routledge).

Limited spaces available, please book to secure your place.