Negotiating (Employable) Graduate Identity: Small Story Approach in Qualitative Follow-up Research

Abstract

AbstractIn this methodological chapter, narrative positioning analysis in qualitative follow-up research is developed to analyse continuity and change of (employable) graduate identity through time. The analysis is illustrated with one business graduate’s example that was chosen as the educational and working life trajectory consists of breaks that require identity negotiation in relation to the normative ideals of employability. Narrative analysis permits the reading of graduate identity as an emergent phenomenon, making diverse positionings in relation to employability visible. Continuous negotiation of graduate identity implies that there is no single end-point in employability, but instead employability is a socially constructed process in which identity work has become salient to pursuing opportunities in working life. Moreover, our study shows that the normative employable ideal of an enterprising graduate identity is not equally available for those coming from a working-class background.