CHE Ling, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong
Academic motherhood studies have expanded across geographical and political borders. It advocates for support of women academics with children and identifies strategies for managing their work-life balance. Early-career women doctoral students with parenting responsibilities encounter more challenges than their childless counterparts. Studies show that academic mothers with young children are particularly vulnerable within the broader group of women with young, independent, or adult children (Ward & Wolf-Wendel, 2012).
I interviewed Dr Joyce Kahembe, a Tanzanian academic mother, about her doctoral studies at HKU, during which she lived with her two-year-old son in Hong Kong while pursuing her degree. Her insights into time management strategies and practical advice for completing a doctoral degree extend beyond mere skills, showcasing her resilience and positive attitude toward an academic career. These lessons offer valuable guidance for managing stress during the uncertain early stages of doctoral research.
Thriving after surviving
Dr. Kahembe’s story is inspiring for all doctoral students, as she happily shared her experiences living in a two-bedroom apartment in Hong Kong and how she balanced her doctoral project and the child-rearing of her baby son. She emphasized that an academic mother could succeed in both research and child-rearing if she had faith in her ability to manage both simultaneously. Her typical day started at 5 am, when she worked on her project before feeding her son and getting him ready for kindergarten.
I had two laptops, so when I took him to kindergarten, I stayed nearby. There was a garden there, so I would work in the garden to complete my assignments, read literature, and finish writing. I did my work there before it was time to pick him up.
A practical guide
Dr Kahembe shared her literature-based strategies and her thesis-focused journey through doctoral studies. Her advice was to gradually develop skills and build knowledge by first completing coursework and reading extensive literature to become knowledgeable about the field. She also discussed her experiences with learning and collaboration with academic staff and peers from the Faculty of Education. Her peers from the research postgraduate office would look after her child while she attended seminars in the department. Her collaboration with her supervisor, Professor Liz Jackson, goes beyond the graduation ceremony.
I had good supervision at HKU, and my supervisors were supportive. They helped me with reading quality materials and then working on my thesis, which is how I developed a strong PhD. After my oral defense and departure from Hong Kong, my supervisor, Liz Jackson, and I continued to communicate via email to collaborate on work, culminating in our co-authored book, Educational Assessment in Tanzania: A Sociocultural Perspective, published in 2020.
A reflection
My researcher positionality as a Chinese academic mother interviewing a Tanzanian academic mother enriches this dialogue with a cross-cultural communication perspective. Dr Kahembe demonstrated how she managed an academic motherhood life in a foreign country without family support and how she coped with the conflicts of balancing academic research and child-rearing. I was often inspired and impressed by her positive attitude and mindset. Her insights offer valuable lessons for all doctoral students, whether mothers or not, on maintaining low-stress habits and overcoming research obstacles through practical steps and daily discipline.
More broadly, her case highlights the importance of reflecting on the main goal of doctoral training to grow in meaningful ways, despite the pressure for research outputs in neoliberal academia. It echoes calls for holistic assessment of doctoral candidates’ skills, in contrast to an emphasis on publications at the expense of coursework and peer collaboration (Horta & Li, 2022).
References
Horta, H., & Li, H. (2022). Nothing but publishing: the overriding goal of PhD students in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. Studies in Higher Education, 48(2), 263–282. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2022.2131764
Ward, K., & Wolf-Wendel, L. (2012). Academic motherhood: How faculty manage work and family. Rutgers University Press.
