Higher Education, Critical University Studies, doctoral education, researcher development, doctoral writing; feminist and queer theory; academic mobilities, conferences, academic migration; sexuality education, LGBTQ+ issues in education, gender; qualitative research; Thailand.
Dr James Burford joined the Department of Education Studies in 2021 as Assistant Professor Global Education and International Development. He joins the university following posts at La Trobe University in Australia and Thammasat University in Thailand, and an international research fellowship at the Research Institute for Higher Education in Hiroshima. James' research and teaching is located in the fields of global and higher education. He has researched and published in a wide range of areas, including researcher development and doctoral education, academic subjectivities, educational mobilities, the global politics of knowledge production and sexuality and gender in education. James is course leader for the MA programme 'Global Education and International Development'. James is Pakeha and calls Aotearoa New Zealand home.
Research
James has been involved in a range of international research projects. In 2012 James was PI on a Rainbow Youth project which investigated the impact of community-led diversity education in promoting positive behaviour for learning in New Zealand schools. From 2015-2016 he was a consultant on a UNICEF and Thai Ministry of Education funded project, which investigated the implementation of Thailand's comprehensive sexuality education curriculum. From 2016-2017 he was Co-I in a World Bank-funded project which investigated the experiences of discrimination and economic exclusion of LGBTI people in Thailand. From 2016-2019 he was an International Research Fellow working on a Hiroshima University-funded project which undertook a cultural history of the International Academic Identities Conference. From 2017-2018 he led a project which investigated the experiences of migrant academics working in the Thai higher education system. James is co-convenor of AMIN - Academic Mobilities and Immobilities Network, serves on the IDERN International Doctoral Education Research Network steering committee, and is an Associate Editor for HERD (Higher Education Research and Development).
Publications
Since 2014, James has published over thirty peer-reviewed articles and more than twenty chapters in edited books (for full details of his publications, see the link above). With Cecile Badenhorst and Brittany Amell, James is co-editor of Re-Imagining Doctoral Writing (WAC & University of Colorado Press, 2021). He has also co-edited with Emily Henderson a special issue of Gender and Education, 'Thoughtful gatherings: gendering conferences as spaces of learning, knowledge production and community'. Since 2017, James has co-edited the academic blog 'Conference Inference'.
Education
James holds a BA in Political Science from Canterbury University, a Master of Development Studies degree from Victoria University of Wellington (VUW-funded), and a PhD in Education from the University of Auckland (UoA-funded). In 2017 James received the NZARE Sutton-Smith award for his doctoral research.
Doctoral Supervision
James is interested in hearing from potential doctoral candidates interested in undertaking research in the areas of: doctoral education and the academic profession, academic mobilities, higher education internationalisation, gender and sexuality in education and higher education in Thailand and Southeast Asia more broadly. He is primarily interested in supervising qualitative projects, and welcomes inquiries from those interested in queer, feminist, decolonial, and poststructural theorisations of higher education. Please get in touch via email to discuss developing a proposal.
James has supervised the following students to completion
Sarah Houseman (La Trobe): Emerging Ecologies of Organisation: Renewing Governance in the Anthropocene, PhD full-time, co-supervised with Ben Habib and Katharine McKinnon.
James is currently supervising the following PhD students:
Milena Cuccurullo: Understanding 'accountability' in UK higher education policy (1990-2020): A philosophical appraisal, PhD part-time, co-supervised with Emma Williams
Fatima Alhaj Hasan: Conflict in Syrian Higher Education, PhD full-time, Emily Henderson as co-supervisor
Yibin Lin: The Transferable Skills Acquisition of Chinese Humanities Doctoral Students in the UK, PhD full-time, co-supervised with Emily Henderson.
Haoxi Ou: Interrogating bullying discourse and its impact on LGBTI students in Chinese secondary schools: Exploring the retrospective narratives of LGBTI young adults, PhD full-time, Cath Lambert as co-supervisor
- Chamchoy, Paveena, Burford, James, 2021. Academics' participation in initiation ceremonies : charting contested meanings and mixed possibilities for orienting Thai freshmen. Teaching in Higher Education, 26 (6), pp. 823-838
- 'Khoo, Tseen, 'Burford, James, 'Henderson, Emily F., 'Liu, Helena, 'Nicolazzo, Z., 2021. 'Not getting over it : the impact of Sara Ahmed's work within critical university studies. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 42 (1), pp. 84-98
- 'Burford, James, 'Eppolite, Mary, 'Koompraphant, Ganon, 'Uerpairojkit, Thornchanok, 2021. 'Narratives of 'stuckness' among North South academic migrants in Thailand : interrogating normative logics and global power asymmetries of transnational academic migration. Higher Education, 82, pp. 731-747
- Eppolite, Mary, Burford, James, 2020. Producing un/professional academics : category boundary work among migrant academics in Thai higher education. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 18 (5), pp. 528-540
- Burford, James, Koompraphant, Ganon, Jirathanapiwat, Worrawan, 2020. Being, adjusting and developing satisfaction : a review of ajarn tangchart (non-Thai academics) within the Thai higher education system. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 50 (5), pp. 656-675
- 'Kraus, Harald, 'Burford, James, 2020. ''Just like studying abroad' : an analysis of the online promotional videos of Thai university international programmes. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 30 (2), pp. 203-220
- 'Burford, James, 'Bosanquet, Agnes, 'Smith, Jan, 2020. ''Homeliness meant having the fucking vacuum cleaner out' : the gendered labour of maintaining conference communities. Gender and Education, 32 (1), pp. 86-100
- Promsaka Na Sakonnakron, Sarunwit, Burford, James, 2020. Doctoral students' readings of the politics of University office space. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 55 (1), pp. 165-180
- Burford, James, Hook, Genine, 2019. Curating care-full spaces : doctoral students negotiating study from home. Higher Education Research & Development, 38 (7), pp. 1343-1355
- Burford, James, Uerpairojkit, Thornchanok, Eppolite, Mary, Vachananda, Tittaphan, 2019. Analysing the national and institutional policy landscape for foreign academics in Thailand : opportunity, ambivalence and threat. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 41 (4), pp. 416-429
- 'Burford, James, 'Mitchell, Catherine, 2019. 'Varied starting points and pathways : a duoethnographic exploration of 'diverse' students' uneven capacities to aspire to doctoral education. Reconceptualizing Educational Research Methodology, 10 (1), pp. 28-44
- Ojanen, Timo T., Burford, James, Juntrasook, Adisorn, Kongsup, Athita, Assatarakul, Titikarn, Chaiyajit, Nada, 2019. Intersections of LGBTI exclusion and discrimination in Thailand : the role of socio-economic status. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 16 (4), pp. 529-542
- 'Trahar, Sheila, 'Juntrasook, Adisorn, 'Burford, James, 'von Kotze, Astrid, 'Wildemeersch, Danny, 2019. 'Hovering on the periphery? 'Decolonising' writing for academic journals. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 49 (1), pp. 149-167
- 'Henderson, Emily F., 'Burford, James, 2019. 'Queering "the idea of the university" : two queer conceptualizations of discursive deployment in higher education literature. Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis, 8 (2)
- Burford, James, 2018. The trouble with doctoral aspiration now. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 31 (6), pp. 487-503
- Burford, James, 2018. Sketching possibilities : poetry and politically-engaged academic practice. Art/Research International: A Transdisciplinary Journal, 3 (1), pp. 229-246
- Burford, James, Juntrasook, Adisorn, Sriprachya-anunt, Wasana, Yeh, Linda, 2018. A contemplative approach to graduate writing development : reflections from Thai writing classrooms. Discourse and Writing/Rédactologie, 28 (1), pp. 127-148
- Burford, James, Henderson, Emily F., Pausé, Cat, 2018. Enlarging conference learning : at the crossroads of fat studies and conference pedagogies. Fat Studies, 7 (1), pp. 69-80
- Burford, James, Lucassen, Mathijs F. G., Hamilton, Thomas, 2017. Evaluating a gender diversity workshop to promote positive learning environments. Journal of LGBT Youth, 14 (2), pp. 211-227
- 'Burford, James, 2017. 'Not writing, and giving 'zero-f**ks' about it : queer(y)ing doctoral 'failure'. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 38 (4), pp. 473-484
- Burford, James, 2017. Conceptualising doctoral writing as an affective-political practice. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 12, pp. 17-32
- Burford, James, 2017. What might 'bad feelings' be good for? some queer feminist thoughts on academic activism. Australian Universities' Review, 59 (2), pp. 70-78
- Juntrasook, Adisorn, Burford, James, 2017. Animating southern theory in the context of Thai higher education : a response from Thailand. Higher Education Research & Development, 36 (1), pp. 21-27
- Burford, James, 2015. Queerying the affective politics of doctoral education: toward complex visions of agency and affect. Higher Education Research & Development, 34 (4), pp. 776-787
- 'Burford, James, 2015. '"Dear Obese PhD Applicants" : Twitter, Tumblr and the contested affective politics of fat doctoral embodiment. M/C Journal, 18 (3)
- 'Burford, James, 'Kindon, Sara, 2015. 'Queering accounts of "MSM" practitioner agency : recognising collateral benefits. Development in Practice, 25 (2), pp. 145-159
- Lucassen, Mathijs FG, Burford, James, 2015. Educating for diversity : an evaluation of a sexuality diversity workshop to address secondary school bullying. Australasian Psychiatry, 23 (5), pp. 544-549
- Grant, Barbara M., Burford, James, Bosanquet, Agnes, Loads, Daphne, 2014. Of zombies, monsters and song : the third Academic Identities Conference. Teaching in Higher Education, 19 (3), pp. 315-321
- 'Burford, James, 'Eppolite, Mary, 2022. 'International academic mobility : categories of difference and narratives of possibility. In Nachatar Singh, J.K. (ed.), Academic Mobility and International Academics, Springer, pp. 181-199
- 'Burford, James, 'Fyffe, Jeanette, 'Khoo, Tseen, 2022. 'Working with/against imposter syndrome : research educators' reflections. In Addison, Michelle; Breeze, Maddie; Taylor, Yvette (eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Imposter Syndrome in Higher Education, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 377-394
- 'Burford, James, 'Mitchell, Cat, 2022. 'Doctoral carers : tracing contradictory discourses and identifying possibilities for a more care-full doctoral education. Hook, Genine; Moreau, Marie-Pierre; Brooks, Rachel (eds.), Student Carers in Higher Education, Routledge
- 'Uerpairojkit, Thornchanok, 'Burford, James, 2021. 'Constructions of nakseuk-saa : tracing contested imaginings of the Thai university student. In Brooks , Rachel; O?Shea, Sarah (eds.), Reimagining the Higher Education Student, London, Routledge, pp. 45-61
- Burford, James, Amell, Brittany, Badenhorst, Cecile, 2021. Introduction : the case for re-imagining doctoral writing. In Badenhorst, Cecile; Amell, Brittany; Burford, James (eds.), Re-imagining Doctoral Writing, WAC Clearinghouse, pp. 3-28
- Burford, James, Amell, Brittany, Badenhorst, Cecile, 2021. Conclusion : the unfinished business of re-imagining doctoral writing. In Badenhorst, Cecile; Amell, Brittany; Burford, James (eds.), Re-imagining Doctoral Writing, WAC Clearinghouse, pp. 267-273
- 'Eppolite, Mary, 'Burford, James, 2021. 'Teaching "like you do at home" or "like you're in a different place"? : two prominent stances on teaching across borders expressed by academic migrants in Thailand. Glass, Chris R.; Bista, Krishna; Lin, Xi (eds.), The Experiences of International Faculty in Institutions of Higher Education, Routledge
- 'Khoo, Tseen, 'Burford, James, 'Fyffe, Jeanette, 2021. 'Creating care-full conditions is institutional work : research developers as campus earthworms. Lemon, Narelle (ed.), Healthy Relationships in Higher Education, Routledge
- 'Burford, James, 2021. 'Closer to the feeling? Exploring diary methods for higher education research on affective phenomena. In Cao, Xuemeng; Henderson, Emily F. (eds.), Exploring Diary Methods in Higher Education Research, Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY, Routledge, pp. 161-174
- 'Burford, James, 2020. 'All at once : writing grief. In Shelton, S.; Sieben, N. (eds.), Narratives of Hope and Grief in Higher Education, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 83-93
- 'Burford, James, 'Khangpiboon, K., 'Pravattiyagul, J., 2019. 'Plastic politics. In Brickell, C.; Collard, J. (eds.), Queer objects, Manchester University Press, pp. 320-325
- 'Assapun, Surawit, 'Uerpairojkit, Thornchanok, 'Burford, James, 2019. 'Teaching democracy while students leave their shoes at the door : attending to mundane practices of power inequality in Thai schools. In Riddle, Stewart; Apple, Michael W. (eds.), Re-imagining Education for Democracy, Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY, Routledge, pp. 128-141
- 'Burford, James, 'Wijaya Mulya, Teguh, 2018. 'Neoliberalism in Thai and Indonesian Universities : using photo-elicitation methods to picture space for possibility. In Manathunga, C.; Bottrell, D. (eds.), Resisting Neoliberalism in Higher Education Volume II, Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 219-245
- 'Burford, James, 'Allen, Louisa, 2018. 'Starting with queer : an enigmatic concept for higher education research and practice. In Henderson, Emily F.; Nicolazzo, Z. (eds.), Starting with Gender in International Higher Education Research, New York ; London, Routledge, pp. 126-143
- 'Sittichai, Ruthaychonnee, 'Ojanen, Timo T., 'Burford, James, 2018. 'Tracing the connections between sustainable development, bullying, and cyberbullying : the case of Thailand. In Verma, Suman; Petersen, Anne C. (eds.), Developmental Science and Sustainable Development Goals for Children and Youth, Cham, Springer, pp. 223-237
- 'Burford, James, 2016. 'Doctoral induction day : an ethnographic fiction on doctoral emotions. In Smith, Jan; Rattray, Julie; Peseta, Tai; Loads, Daphne (eds.), Identity Work in the Contemporary University, Rotterdam, SensePublishers, pp. 117-127
- 'Burford, James, 'Macdonald, J., 'Orchard, S., 'Wills, P., 2015. 'Transgender issues in New Zealand education : a dialogue. In Smith, L.; Gunn, A. (eds.), Sexual Cultures in Aotearoa/New Zealand Education, Dunedin, New Zealand, Otago University Press, pp. 150-172
- 'Burford, James, 2014. 'Writing affectively : queering the doctoral writing journey. In Mutch, C.; Rath, J. (eds.), Emerging critical scholarship in education: Navigating the doctoral journey (pp. 226- 239). Cambridge Scholars., Newcastle upon Tyne, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, pp. 226-239
- 'Burford, James, 2014. 'Doctoral writing as an affective practice : keep calm and carry on?. In Blitzer, E.; Albertyn, R.; Frick, L.; Grant, B.; Kelly, F. (eds.), Pushing boundaries in postgraduate supervision, Stellenbosch, Sun Media, pp. 69-84
- 'Burford, James, 'Orchard, Sam, 2014. 'Chubby boys with strap-ons : queering fat transmasculine embodiment. Queering Fat Embodiment, Abingdon, Oxon, Routledge
- 'Burford, James, 2013. 'Dangerous thoughts of a queer/trans awareness educator & Ms. Aretha Brown. In Volpert, M. (ed.), This assignment is so gay : LGBTIQ poets on the art of teaching, Sibling Rivalry Press, pp. 194-196
- 'Burford, James, 'Henderson, Emily F., 'Akkad, A., 'Dangeni,, 'Kier-Byfield, S., 2022. 'The role of the supervisor in pre-application doctoral communications : project brief. Department of Education Studies, University of Warwick
- 'Burford, James, 'Henderson, Emily F., 'Akkad, A., 'Dangeni,, 'Kier-Byfield, S., 2022. 'The role of the institution in pre-application doctoral communications : project brief. Department of Education Studies, University of Warwick
- Henderson, Emily F., Burford, James, 2020. Thoughtful gatherings : gendering conferences as spaces of learning, knowledge production and community. Gender and Education, Routledge, pp. 1-10