Getting too close: A problem and possible solution in social science PhD supervision

Abstract

The duties of PhD supervisor involve combining the dimensions of intellectual critic and guide to doctoral students, whilst at the same time offering the latter pastoral care, tasks which occur under conditions of increasing difficulty. The combination of these duties is depicted, and the pastoral dimension of supervision is portrayed as harbouring the potential, unless skilfully handled, for supervisors to become too emotionally involved with their students. The costs of this over-involvement are subsequently identified and a solution is proposed, namely that training programmes for PhD supervisors should contain a pastoral skills component.