Conceptualizing Scholar-Activism Through Scholar-Activist Accounts

This chapter delves into one of the ways in which scholars strive to make their work matter, namely, through the practice of scholar-activism. It becomes evident that the concept of scholar-activism is multifaceted and lacks a universally established definition. The objective of this chapter is to gain an insider’s understanding of scholar-activism by exploring its conceptualization and intellectual foundations. To achieve this, a conceptual review of literature authored by scholar-activists is conducted, complemented by scientometric analysis of co-wording and co-citation. The findings of this study reveal two key insights. First, the concept of scholar-activism can be viewed as comprising three interconnected components: criticality, active engagement, and normative orientation. These elements inform one another, shaping the overall practice of scholar-activism. Second, the review identifies four primary intellectual influences that underpin scholar-activism: critical geography, feminist thought, popular education, and critical social theory. It becomes apparent that, based on the accounts of scholar-activists in this review, a conceptual reconciliation between scholarship and activism is feasible. Nevertheless, the practical challenges of navigating institutional and contextual barriers to bring about this alignment remain a significant obstacle for scholar-activists, warranting further exploration.