“You’re Going to Do What?” Challenges of Autoethnography in the Academy

Abstract

This story presents three main challenges faced with creating an autoethnography as a dissertation at a prestigious university. These challenges include (a) finding the author’s voice, (b) negotiating university policies and procedures, and (c) addressing validity concerns for autoethnography. The resulting autoethnographic account captures vulnerable moments and incidents to produce an evocative story about becoming a pioneer. A fusion between social science and screenplay yields a compelling story where effects of reality and human experience come together. These struggles with university’s policies and creating a form of member-checking contribute to the field of “autoethnography” with regard to qualitative methodology. Embarking on the path less traveled while navigating the political system and bureaucracy gives hope to others seeking to publish and/or write their autoethnography.