Motherhood, COVID-19, and the postgraduate research experience: personal practice-based design insights

Abstract

This practice-based report presents my experiences as a mother, Lecturer, and Doctoral Researcher during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in the UK. Employing a postdigital storytelling approach, I created the film ‘The Covid Diaries’ to tell the story of my roles as mother and academic during the pandemic. As a practice-based design doctoral researcher, making the film became a cathartic exercise in meaning-making. Telling a digital story of my ongoing design research journaling evolved into a qualitative research tool, capturing personal experiences, emotions, and reflections. Through narrative, visuals, and audio, the film portrays the challenges, uncertainties, and resilience of a primary caring parent undertaking doctoral studies during these unprecedented times. It also reveals broader concerns about the treatment of primary caring parents within academic institutions and funding bodies throughout the pandemic. Reflecting on the film-making process, I describe the complexities of identity, self-censorship, and the unique temporal rhythms of research and caregiving. This report contributes to the discourse on transformative experiences and challenges faced by primary caring parents in academia during the pandemic, particularly those undertaking practice-based design research.

Keywords:

• COVID-19 pandemic
• practice-based design research
• digital storytelling
• motherhood
• parenthood
• doctoral research

Acknowledgements

This work would not be possible without AHRC Design Star DTP who fund my PhD research and my doctoral supervisors, Tom Ainsworth, Mathilda Tham, and Nigel Sherriff who have consistently provided unwavering kindness and support throughout my research journey. Thanks to my colleagues, Isobel Creed for introducing me to digital storytelling and Ben Sweeting for feedback and friendship. To all my mothering designing researching friends including Zoë Sadokierski and Chantal Spencer, and my sister Amy Hodson for offering feedback on the film. My husband and children for their love and encouragement as they have been instrumental in shaping both my experiences and the creation of ‘The Covid Diaries.’

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Notes on contributors

Sally Sutherland

Sally Sutherland is a Lecturer in Design, and AHRC Design Star Funded doctoral candidate at the University of Brighton. Her practice-based doctoral research uses design to observe, engage and intervene in contemporary UK public breastfeeding discourses.