Why do we write?

Writing is the primary medium through which academics communicate their research findings, and this remains true for many forms of research including qualitative and participatory and co-produced research. However, at the same time writing academically has come under critique for being a performative exercise within the neoliberal university, sacrificing quality for the sake of quantity, not taking the time to meaningfully include project partners, or even being unethical by using AI to increase productivity. This raises the question: why do we write as academics and especially when doing engaged and participatory research? For whom do we write? And what forms of writing do we choose, given that most academic texts remain within academic bubbles rather than generating impact beyond them?

In participatory approaches, for instance, it may be more ethical to involve participants in the writing process - something often seen positively and even expected as part of co-producing research outputs. At the same time, collaborative writing in participatory projects can be at odds with neoliberal publishing expectations that prioritise anglophone single-author papers for career advancement. Academic writing more broadly—through its structural and institutional biases—often favours theoretical contributions and uses formal writing styles that can exclude others. This leaves little space for alternative forms or participant-driven content, thereby inadvertently reproducing hierarchies and excluding diverse expressions of knowledge. Moreover, the focus on written outputs may conflict with the goals of participatory approaches, where writing may not be the most accessible or effective way to communicate co-produced knowledge.

In this session, we aim to open a broader discussion about writing as a core aspect of research. We will examine how writing is perceived from different perspectives, the challenges of writing collaboratively, and the assumptions of writing as a colonial or extractive practice.

The sorts of questions we will be addressing are:

• Who do we write for?
• How does writing fit within participatory and engaged research approaches?
• What do you see as good writing?
• What advice would you give to someone trying to write in a different way, or reach a different audience?

This session will be of interest to anyone who writes or reads academic writing – postgraduate students and researchers, research fellows, academics - and would like to explore ways of doing things differently.

Sonja Marzi, Radboud

Laura Camfield, King's

• Flora Cornish, LSE
• Mayssoun Sukariah, International development, King's
• Jelke Boesten, International development, King's
• Farhan Samanani, Education, King’s
• Asiya Islam, Gender, LSE
• Tania Ocampo-Garcia, Geography, LSE

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Host or Publisher School of Global Affairs