Love, Hope, and Hopelessness

The book, Self, and Other Stories: Being, Knowing, Writing, is a collection of vignettes that describe “the wash and waves” (p. 9) of Laura J. Shepherd’s academic career. Each story reveals the affects and effects of (un)disciplining the ‘self’ in the neoliberal academy. In so doing, the book charts the oft-hidden obstacles faced by women academics, in particular feminist academics, including those who are marginalized and racialized as they seek to carve spaces for themselves and others so as to be taken ‘seriously’. Each story, food reference, and visual accompaniment moves between hope and hopelessness/helplessness. Hope is found in teaching, community, and nature, hope is articulated as motivation for thinking and writing. But, equally, there is a helplessness and hopelessness at/with the world.