Kirsti Niskanen and Michael J. Barany, "Gender, Embodiment, and the History of the Scholarly Persona" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021)
Sep 26, 2022
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Professors Kirsti Niskanen and Michael J. Barany discuss their book on the historical construction of scholarly personae through topics such as international travels, embodiment, and gender. They explore the influence of incomes and funding opportunities on scholarly personae in various disciplines and how understanding these histories can promote diversity in academia. The podcast also covers the multidisciplinary nature of the book, explores the concept of persona in mathematics, and highlights the significance of being aware of persona creation in academia.
The history of scholarly personae illuminates the dynamic interactions between personalities, institutions, professional ethos, and social norms in academia.
Studying scholarly personae provides insights into the relationship between individuals, institutions, and communities, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and understanding.
Deep dives
Importance of Scholarly Persona in Gender and Body Ment
The podcast episode features Professors Kirsten Iskannon and Michael Barany discussing their book 'Gender and Body Ment and the History of Scholarly Persona'. The project originated from a larger initiative called 'Scientific Persona in Cultural Encounters' that aimed to explore power structures in academia, particularly in relation to gender and women. Rather than focusing on the obstacles faced by women in academia, the project sought to examine what enables individuals to build successful academic careers. The concept of persona, developed by historians of science, emerged as a key element of the research. The book is a result of a conference organized as part of the project and presents a collection of essays that delve into the concept of persona and its historical case studies.
The Vital Space of Scholarly Persona
The episode highlights the vital space that the history of scholarly persona occupies in cultural theories of science and scholarship. Historians Iskannon and Barany use the term 'vital space' to emphasize the connection between the living quality of science and scholarship and the role of persona. The study of persona offers insights into the link between individual scientists and scholars, the institutions they belong to, and the broader communities of practice. By analyzing persona, scholars from various disciplines can explore the relationship between knowledge, individuals, and communities, creating a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration and understanding.
Methodological Approaches to Studying Persona
The episode discusses the methodological approaches employed in studying scholarly persona. The research involves working with a range of sources, including institutions, biographical materials, and personal archives. By examining the intersection between individual identity formation and institutional influences, scholars gain a deeper understanding of how personas are shaped. The combination of identity formation and institutional role in persona construction highlights the importance of considering both personal traits and the contribution of institutions in the formation and modification of scholarly identities.
Contextual Conditions for Scholarly Persona construction
The podcast explores three significant contextual conditions that influence the construction and reinvention of scholarly persona: travels, bodies, and masculinities. The discussion focuses on how international movement and funding contribute to the creation of academic personas. It also examines the interaction between individuals as embodied beings and the ideas they produce. Additionally, it highlights the underexplored theme of masculinities in academic environments. These contextual conditions provide insights into the historical development of scholarly personas and their impact on academic life, fostering a deeper understanding of the dynamics that shape academic identities.
In Gender,Embodiment, and the History of the Scholarly Persona. Incarnations and Contestations (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021), Professors Kirsti Niskanen and Michael J. Barany present a rich collection of essays on the historical construction and reinvention of scholarly personae. The book carries this investigation by focusing on three contextual conditions that play a decisive role in the fashioning of such personae: international travels, embodiment, and gender. The book also pays great attention to the role of incomes and funding opportunities in the evolution of scholarly personae in disciplines as varied as mathematics, philosophy, experimental psychology, pedagogy, history, and medicine.
Niskanen and Barany “see the history of scholarly personae as occupying a vital space in cultural theories of science and scholarship”. This statement should be understood in at least two ways. Firstly, the study of scholarly personae delves into the dynamic interactions between personalities, institutions, professional ethos, social norms, international exchanges, and explains how these interactions generate ways of conducting and presenting one’s life. Secondly, uncovering such histories of scholarly personae eventually leads to a better understanding of contextual forces that prevent or encourage the emergence of greater diversity and equity within academia today.
At the intersection of a wide range of scholarly disciplines and geographical contexts, Gender,Embodiment, and the History of the Scholarly Persona represent a major contribution to the historical study of scientific personae since Lorraine Daston and H. Otto Sibum’s special issue, “Scientific Personae and Their Histories”, published in 2003.
Victor Monnin, Ph.D. is an historian of science specialized in the history of Earth sciences. He is teaching the Humanities and French language to undergraduates.
