On this episode, we talk with Sikose (she/her), a Ph.D. student in the Department of English studying underground literature in South Africa during apartheid. Together, we talk about how her research informs her perspective on writing and why writing matters to her.
Please note that this episode contains discussions of police and state violence.
Historical context:
1949 – the first apartheid law is enacted in South Africa
1952 – Regional pass laws, which required Black South Africans to carry identifying documents to travel through internal checkpoints within the country, are replaced by a national pass law
1953 – The Bantu Education Act is enacted, effectively restricting education access for non-White South Africans
1960 – Sharpeville Massacre occurs when police ambush crowds protesting against the national pass law
1963-64 – The Rivonia Trial takes place, sending many leading anti-apartheid activists to prison for life, including Nelson Mandela
1976 – Soweto Uprising, a protest that begins as a response to planned language policy instituting Afrikaans as the language of instruction for Black South African students, becomes a broader challenge to the authority of the apartheid government
1990 – Negotiations begin to end apartheid in South Africa; Nelson Mandela is released after 27 years of imprisonment
Material and resources discussed:
South Africa Belongs to Us: A History of the ANC – Francis Meli (Zimbabwe Publishing House, 1988; accessible via UW Libraries)
Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto – Tricia Hersey (Little, Brown Spark, 2022; accessible via UW Libraries)
On the Stage of Time – Sikose Mji (Beyond the Vale Publishing, 2024; available soon via UW Libraries)
Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature – Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o (Heinemann, 1986; accessible via UW Libraries)
Audio transcript: Episode 4 (coming soon!)
In this episode, we hear from Richa (she/her), a Master’s student in Communications with a background in business and marketing. With her current studies and professional experience, Richa brings an informative perspective on practical writing, focusing on the audience, and the value of reading broadly.
Material and resources discussed:
Audio transcript: Episode 3 (coming soon!)
In this episode, we chat with Gabrielle (she/her), a Ph.D. candidate from the Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering. Listen in as we talk about writing, technology, and finding confidence in your work.
Material and resources discussed:
How the Page Matters – Bonnie Mak (University of Toronto Press, 2011; accessible via UW Libraries)
Otter.ai – An AI-based transcription and notetaking software
The Master and his Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World – Iain McGilchrist (Yale University Press, 2010; accessible in print or ebook via UW Libraries)
Association for Computing Machinery – a major professional association focused on computing science and technology
The Notebooks of Simone Weil – Simone Weil (Routledge, 2004; available via UW Libraries.
Tim Ingold – Emeritus Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Aberdeen
Audio transcript: Episode 2 (coming soon!)
In this episode, we hear from Alyssa (she/her), a Ph.D. candidate in Biology. Speaking with me from her fieldsite in Colombia, Alyssa shares her approach to writing across genres, working in collaboration, and finding the strategies that suit your writing process.
Resources and material discussed:
The Pomodoro Method/Technique – This productivity strategy is summarized uses a cycle of work and break time to avoid creating burnout. Learn more via UNC-Chapel Hill’s Writing & Learning Center here.
Explore OWRC’s resources on starting your own writing group using our guide to social and independent writing.
Learn more about UW’s Sharepoint access here.
Audio transcript: Episode 1
In this episode, we talk with Lizzy (she/her), a Ph.D. candidate in the University of Washington’s Archaeology Program. Listen in as we talk about getting organized, thinking about audience, and confronting the blank page.
Find out more about the material and support mentioned in this episode:
An audio transcript for this episode available here.
In this episode, we talk with Jenna (she/her), a Master’s student in the College of Education in the midst of writing her final thesis. Together we talk through the tips, strategies, and habits that have helped her, and where she’s hoping her writing takes her next. Listen in to hear more.
An audio transcript for this episode available here.
In this episode, we talk with Sue (she/her), a Ph.D. candidate from the Department of History, who talks us through a creative approach to writing academically, and how working in different genres and languages helps her avoid writer’s block. Listen in to hear more.
Find out more about the material and support mentioned in this episode:
An audio transcript for this episode available here.
In this episode, we talk to Runhua (she/her), a first year Ph.D. student in Information Science. Drawing from a wealth of graduate and professional writing experiences, Runhua shares her practical approach to making peace with imperfection and why her writing is the dog’s pajamas. Listen in to hear more.
An audio transcript of this episode is available here.
In this episode, we talk to Renee (she/her), a recent Ph.D. from the University of Washington Department of English, about how she finished her dissertation, the importance of community, and what comes next. Listen in to hear more!
Find out more about the material and support mentioned in this episode:
Audio transcripts available here.
In this episode, we talk to Andrew (he/him), a Ph.D. Candidate in the University of Washington’s Department of History and Associate Director of the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies, about navigating a changing writing process, writing across a range of genres, and the richness of editorial feedback. Listen in to hear more!
Find out more about the material and support mentioned in this episode:
Audio transcripts available here.
In this episode, we talk to Jeevan (he/him), a recent graduate from the University of Washington’s Master of Arts for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL) program (Department of English) and future first-year Ph.D. student, about inspiration, writing with goals in mind, and the importance of knowing when to take a break. Listen in to hear more!
Audio transcripts available here.
In this episode, we talk to Madalena (she/her), a first-year Ph.D. student in the University of Washington’s Department of Geography, about gaining confidence, working through translation, and getting to know your process. Listen in to hear more!
Audio transcripts available here.
In this episode, we talk with former graduate students Sarah and Maria. Now a few years out from earning their doctorates, Sarah and Maria reflect on writing both within and beyond the scope of their dissertations, and what they wish they knew before they finished. Listen in to hear their tips, insights, and recommendations!
Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:
In this episode, we hear from Anna and Safi, doctoral candidates in the fields of history and English. Together, they talk about writing and research practice, reflections on their own habits and processes from a teaching perspective, and clarifying the audiences and stakes of their work. Listen in to learn more!
Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:
In this episode, we hear from Megan and Mikhail, graduate students in Clinical Informatics and Patient-Centered Technologies and Archeology, respectively. In their discussion, we hear about utilizing multiple forms of communication, negotiating audiences, and the ongoing process of refining your approach. Listen in to learn more!
Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:
In our final episode of the season, we chat with doctoral students Christina and Ayda and get their takes on beginnings, challenges of interdisciplinary practice, seeking out feedback, and finding inspiration.
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In this episode, we talk to Brittney and Christopher, doctoral candidates from the College of Arts and Sciences. Listen in as they discuss transformation, problematizing the production of knowledge, sustaining oneself, and engaging conversations outside of traditional academic spaces.
Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:
In this episode we hear from pre-candidacy doctoral students Biljana and Lily as they chat about experiences of writing early on in a doctoral program, finding your niche, balance, and thinking about feedback.
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In this episode, Lily and Madison – both nearing the end of their dissertation writing – share their takes on time management, responsibility in writing, and the specter of critique.
Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:
