Wired to Flourish in Community: An Affinity Space for Christian Female Scholars
This self-study contributes to the limited scholarly literature about the nature of academic research and writing groups in a distinctly Christian context. The researchers examined the effects of female scholars’ researching and writing together within a Christian affinity space designed with a litu...
| Authors: | ; ; ; ; ; ; ; |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Christian higher education
Year: 2025, Volume: 24, Issue: 5, Pages: 430-448 |
| Further subjects: | B
Productivity
B female scholars B Affinity space B Self-efficacy B Christian scholarship B Liturgical |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This self-study contributes to the limited scholarly literature about the nature of academic research and writing groups in a distinctly Christian context. The researchers examined the effects of female scholars’ researching and writing together within a Christian affinity space designed with a liturgical structure. The group took an invitational approach to writing and research, presenting these activities as privileges rather than mere responsibilities. Mixed-methods data collection and analysis revealed three main themes that provided a strategic corrective to common barriers to the success of female scholars: the research and writing group nurtured community, promoted a sense of collective self-efficacy, and fostered scholarly productivity. Participants reported that the design of the affinity space effectively supported academic productivity, increased self-esteem, and enhanced collaboration via four key factors: dedicated time for writing and researching, increased motivation, accountability via goal setting, and accountability via sharing. Recommendations for future practice include designing structured affinity spaces within a framework that positions research as invitational, collaborative, and worshipful. Further research could explore designing effective affinity spaces in Christian and secular contexts for men and marginalized groups, along with comparative research related to affinity spaces in online and in-person communities. |
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| ISSN: | 1539-4107 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Christian higher education
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/15363759.2025.2544068 |
