Retracing and Re-Imagining Academic Identity Narratives in Higher Education: Arts-Based Educational Research Journeys and Pathways

This chapter sets the stage for Arts-Based Educational Research Narratives of Academic Identities: Perspectives From Higher Education, and directs the reader through the rest of the book. The first section of the book is devoted to the personal scholarly narratives of academics from Canada, the United States, and South Africa whose joint efforts have been critical to developing and leading arts-based educational research (ABER) in South Africa and beyond. Their reflective narratives demonstrate the generative power of transnational ABER collaborations. The second section comprises instances of innovative work by early career and seasoned academics who are driving the growth of the South African ABER community. Their chapters offer distinct perspectives and possibilities at the intersection of arts-based research, narratives, and academic identities. This chapter highlights critical features and contributions of ABER, accentuating its transformational potential, hybridity, and adaptability. A history of the contributors’ collaborative ABER initiatives is also provided. Overall, the chapter argues that incorporating the arts into scholarly inquiry is a profound academic and personal development strategy, fostering a deeper, more nuanced engagement with the self and the collective pursuit of knowledge and meaningful change in a complex, ever-changing higher education landscape.