Any Questions?

Academics go to conferences for two main reasons: first, to discuss their research; second, and just as importantly, to negotiate their own standing in the scientific community. This book shows how academics in the humanities use conference discussions as a forum to co-construct both their own and each other’s professional identities. While at first sight the researchers seem to be simply asking and answering questions, the detailed sequential analyses reveal many subtle underlying strategies adopted to display and negotiate claims of expertise, seniority and competence.