Scholarly Personal Narrative as a Way to Connect the Academy to the World by Robert J. Nash

CHAPTER FOUR: Scholarly Personal Narrative as a Way to Connect the Academy to the World

Author: ROBERT J. NASH
Source: Counterpoints, 2015, Vol. 463, Reimagining the public intellectual in education: making scholarship matter, pp. 39-52
Published by: Peter Lang AG
Stable URL: JSTOR

INTRODUCTION

  • Robert J. Nash discusses receiving an invitation from editors to contribute a chapter on the public intellectual.

  • He invented a research approach he calls Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) writing during the 1990s and has authored several books on this method (Nash, 2004; Nash & Bradley, 2011; Nash & Viray, 2013, 2014).

  • SPN writing aims to bridge gaps between scholars, students, and the public through storytelling and self-disclosure, drawing on academic and non-academic sources.

  • Nash emphasizes the need for academic research findings to be communicated in a way that is both accessible and reflective of daily life complexities and personal identity.

  • The chapter intends to support the idea of SPN as a method that maintains intellectual integrity while reaching broader audiences.

WHAT THE TERM PUBLIC INTELLECTUAL MEANS TO ME

  • Nash describes himself as an experienced, tenured, and award-winning professor free to express beliefs and love for ideas without the constraints of academic hierarchy.
  • He identifies as an interdisciplinary philosopher, religious studies scholar, ethicist, social justice advocate, creative writing instructor, and cosmopolite.
  • The transition from wanting to appear erudite to desiring to inspire and connect with broader audiences is detailed.
  • Meaning-making mentor: He views himself as someone facilitating understanding, particularly for the younger generation.
  • Nash asserts a non-elitist, vulnerable, and non-authoritarian approach to conveying knowledge.
  • He clarifies that his intent is not to reduce complexities (termed “dumbing down”) but rather to reach out to diverse audiences beyond academia.
  • Intellectual Definitions:
    • Two definitions of intellectual:
      1. Perceiving and understanding the world rationally and emotionally; a pluralistic approach to knowledge.
      2. Possessing superior analytical capabilities, which may create barriers to understanding for wider audiences.
  • In rejecting the role of an intellectual exclusivist, Nash promotes a philosophy of vulnerability in intellectual pursuits drawing on personal experience.
  • Importance of reciprocal learning: He seeks to learn from others as much as they learn from him, which he terms reciprocal teaching and learning.

THE HUMAN NEED TO MAKE MEANING THROUGH STORYTELLING

  • Nash emphasizes the universal human need for meaning-making through storytelling, drawing on literary historian Hayden White’s assertions.
  • The term narrative has evolutionary significance, associated with learning and survival.
  • SPN writing is anchored in storytelling, positing that it plays a critical role in construing meaning and identity.
  • As academia evolves, the inclusion of personal narratives can enhance research and teaching methodologies.
  • Cultural relevance: There is a growing appetite for memoir and personal narrative writing outside academic circles, which academia must embrace.
  • Critics argue that personal narrative reduces academic rigor, potentially endangering tenure and prestige.
  • Market Dynamics: The academic publishing landscape is discussed, highlighting statistics regarding publication reach:
    • University press publications in social sciences or humanities may sell fewer than 300 copies, largely to university libraries.
    • Typical academic journal articles might be read by only a dozen individuals on average.
    • Professor Nash argues that many academics write primarily to fulfill tenure requirements instead of engaging broader readerships.

THE BENEFITS OF SPN WRITING

  • SPN enables scholars to connect personal narratives with scholarly work, enhancing engagement with broader audiences.
  • Nash believes that personal storytelling makes academic work more compelling and relatable, drawing attention to universal human experiences.
  • All individuals face meaning-making challenges, contingent on life stages and circumstances.
  • In his experience, students' writing about their personal narratives yields deep insights and remarkable reflections on life’s complexities.
  • Personal stories serve as significant bridges between personal and academic narratives, enhancing understanding of broader themes in SPN.

TEACHING STUDENTS AS SPN STORYTELLERS

  • Nash describes the necessity of communicating clearly to foster student learning and engagement.
  • He cites anthropologist Ruth Behar, emphasizing the importance of writing personal narratives as acts of personal witness.
  • Personal witness aims to blend personal experiences with scholarly accounts, dismantling barriers between the 'self' and the 'other'.

FIVE VOTES OF SPN CONFIDENCE

  1. The Storyteller Within: Recognizing the inherent storyteller within, emphasizing the importance of engaging and relatable characters.
  2. Writing Ability: Not tied to artistic genius; all styles of thinking and writing are valid.
  3. Reader Engagement: Importance of creating captivating beginnings, sustaining reader interest through plot lines, and conflict introduction.
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