Author(ing) from post-colonial context: challenges and jugaad fixes
Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management
ISSN: 1746-5648
Article publication date: 28 January 2020
Issue publication date: 4 August 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the challenges authors from post-colonial contexts face in writing and doing research in management and organisation studies.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on a self-reflection and also draws upon concepts from post and decolonial conceptual approaches.
Findings
It identifies three challenges namely, limitations or research question as what is feasible; translation and truth production; poor writing and weak theoretical contribution. It suggests three jugaad fixes to deal with these challenges namely, innovation and flexibility in method use with argumentation; translate, but late with theorising in the vernacular, and incorporating context into problematisation.
Research limitations/implications
It draws attention to the different needs of authors from post-colonial contexts.
Practical implications
It could possibly help authors from post-colonial contexts and reviewers better navigate academic publishing and research.
Social implications
It could help in authors from post-colonial contexts attempt more publishing.
Originality/value
This paper draws attention to the different constraints and limitations faced by authors from post-colonial contexts in pursuing academic writing.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper builds upon an invited talk “Pitfalls in researching postcolonial contexts” given in Delhi in 2018 at the International Doctoral Consortium. This invite was a surprise and a turning point for the author as it was both the conferring of legitimacy on the author and an accordance of opportunity to the author. It is usual convention in the author’s part of the world to look for an international figure as a speaker or as we say in Hindi, bahar se bulate hain (let us call someone from outside), not within, for they have star power and expert value. The author thanks the organisers for giving me this opportunity. The author also thanks the participants of the workshop who found resonance with the author’s talk and encouraged the author to write about this.
Citation
Jammulamadaka, N.P. (2020), "Author(ing) from post-colonial context: challenges and
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited