We are rewriting the academic narrative

Over the past week I have been head down planning our annual Accepted Society Symposium (tickets now available). In brainstorming the theme for this year’s event, I was struck by something someone in the Researchers program said…

‘I have taken a very different route into academic research. I used to think that was a bad thing, but since we focused on ‘rewriting the narratives’ during the prompts in Researchers, I can see how my path into my research is my own strength, and I can draw on that in moments of doubt.’

This stuck with me, I felt that I was that person too. For those that don’t know the history of my journey, I studied law and politics in my undergrad. I was determined to enter into the corporate world and become a hot-shot lawyer. I worked in Legal for 10 years. Now, let me just say, I loved studying law. Practice, on the other hand, well let’s just say it wasn’t for me. In the middle of COVID, while the world was stuck in doors and learning to bake bread (something I definitely cannot do), I realised that I didn’t want to be a lawyer for the rest of my life.

My passion has always been reading, history and culture. But I never allowed myself a thought that this could be a career. Law was a safe option for employment and a steady income, which is something I needed. But, now that I had that, I had the opportunity to make a change. I started slow, night classes made for final year school leavers, short courses at local universities, and my own personal curriculums. This wasn’t the first time I had considered a change in career but there was a pivotal moment, when I was in my first night class analysing Beowulf, and I thought to myself ‘this is what I want to do.’ In my rabbit holes of research I came across the Life Long Learning department at Oxford. My life was changed from that moment. I enrolled in short courses, then and undergrad course and before I know it, I was preparing an application for my Masters at Oxford. I will never forget the feeling I had when I matriculated. I had made it! I walked through the doors of the Sheldonian Theatre knowing that my name was in the record books of Oxford University. It could not be taken away.

But there was always something, or more specifically many someones, who were there supporting me down this really hard road…

The modern academic landscape often feels like a series of isolated silos with researchers tucked away in specialised niches, students navigating high-pressure degrees in solitude, and independent scholars working without institutional support. Those moments are hard for any academic, and even more so if you feel like your pathway hasn’t been the easiest. However, I believe that this sense of ‘crisis’ in academia comes down to a lack of community.

In our previous Substack, Polly and Khalia talk about debunking the myth of the lonely scholar and deconstructing the idea that ‘real’ scholarship happens in isolation. The nature of institutional competition, algorithmic and consumer driven mentality has resulted in academics faced with the pressure of hyper-specialisation and an epidemic of loneliness and burnout. I would be surprised if any academic who is reading this has not felt this at some point. I think, however, we have the power to change our narrative as a community and transform academia from a cold institution into a vibrant, community-led engine of re-invention.

How you might ask? Well, I have spent long and hard thinking about how Accepted Society tackles this and I came up with four key principles we practice in the community:

• Knowledge Sharing Beyond the Paywall: Accepted Academy is a place where members of the community can share their knowledge, and which is available without subscription on our YouTube channel. Not only does this allow for members to enhance their presentation and research skills, but it provides a means of sharing knowledge with the public. So for those that what to learn something new without having to pay for it, Accepted provides that from our members.

• The Support Scaffold: Anyone who has been a member of the community will attest to the emotional and intellectual resilience built through sharing resources, hobby groups, shared struggle, and the normalisation of ‘the messy middle’ of research that is present within our spaces. For non-traditional academics, this is something truly valuable. From constantly existing on the peripheries of the academy to feeling like you are right where you need to be, Accepted is driven by the community, for the community as a whole.

• Radical Belonging: This is key for me. I know that when I started on my journey, I felt the psychological necessity of being ‘seen’ and recognised as a scholar. Accepted is that place, whether one is a tenured professor or an independent researcher. The community is diverse and yet there is a never a sense of division.

• Breaking the Hierarchy: Speaking of diversity, the is a huge amount of value placed to everyone’s path and journey, Accepted is a community where undergraduates, PhDs, and independent scholars trade insights, and together we create perspectives that challenge institutional stagnation.

Not only does Accepted create a space where deep intellectual engagement is accessible and community-driven, it has become the new ‘salons’ for a new type of academia that prioritises human spirit and the re-humanisation of the scholar. No longer are scholars isolated, we are rewriting that narrative. The academy will not be changed by policy from the top down, but by scholars connecting from the bottom up. This change isn't about new technology; it’s about returning to the ancient truth that we think better, more bravely, and more beautifully when we think together.

Accepted Society welcomes all scholars! If you are interested in checking out the community, please feel free to join us with a 7 day-trail and our Substack Exclusive promotion (Code: SUBSTACKEXCLUSIVE)