The Idea of the PhD: doctoral imaginaries in the 21st century examines the PhD at a time when it is undergoing significant radical change worldwide. Inside universities, doctoral enrolments are continually climbing, as the demand for more graduates with high level research skills increases. This book explores the doctorate as it is constructed both within the university and higher education context and without in the broader social and cultural domain.
Interdisciplinary in scope and international in appeal, The Idea of the PhD contributes to the research literature in doctoral education and higher education as a field and will be valuable reading for postgraduates, researchers and academics.

Introduction 1. The nature of doctoral research 2. The idea of the PhD researcher 3. The idea of PhD pedagogy 4. The spaces of doctoral research Concluding remarks

Frances Kelly is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Critical Studies in Education, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland, New Zealand.