Publishing, Community, and Confidence: Reflections from the SASSHPL PhD Seminar Series

For many researchers, publishing is one of the most important parts of academic life, yet it can also be one of the most difficult to navigate. Questions about journals, peer review, revisions, rejection, and where to begin can follow us throughout the PhD journey, regardless of where we are in our research.

These were some of the questions that inspired our recent Academic Publishing session within the SASSHPL (School of Area Studies, Sociology, History, Politics and Literature) PhD Seminar Series.

Since its launch in 2022 as an initiative led by Dr Nora Siklodi, the SASSHPL PhD Seminar Series has aimed to create opportunities for postgraduate researchers to come together, share experiences, develop professionally, and strengthen the research community within the School. While each session focuses on a different aspect of postgraduate life, the wider purpose has remained the same: creating spaces where researchers can learn from one another and speak openly about the opportunities and challenges that shape the doctoral journey.

As one of the SASSHPL PGR Student Representatives, I regularly have the opportunity to speak with colleagues at different stages of their doctoral journey. One topic seemed to surface again and again: Academic Publishing. With the support and collaboration of my colleague Thirsha De Silva, we wanted this session to create a space where we could explore questions, concerns, and experiences openly and honestly.

The session was led by Dr Nora Siklodi, Associate Professor in Politics at the University of Portsmouth and Co-Editor-in-Chief of Political Studies Review Journal. Alongside her extensive experience in academic publishing, her previous role as Departmental Director of Postgraduate Research (DDPGR) within SASSHPL provided a good understanding of the questions and uncertainties many researchers encounter throughout their doctoral journey. This combination of editorial expertise and long-standing engagement with postgraduate researchers helped create a discussion that felt both practical and approachable.

Before the session began, attendees gathered for lunch at the Doctoral College. This provided an informal opportunity to reconnect, meet colleagues from different disciplines, and continue conversations beyond our own areas of study. By the time the session started, the room already felt welcoming and engaged, helping to shape the open discussion that followed.

One of the aspects that was appreciated about the session was the way it recognised that publishing means different things at different stages of a research journey. Looking around the room, it was clear that colleagues had arrived with very different publishing goals in mind. Some were exploring whether work from a Master’s dissertation could serve as the basis for a future publication. Others were considering how conference papers might be developed into journal articles, while more experienced researchers were thinking about publishing thesis chapters, developing articles from completed research projects, or exploring the possibility of turning a thesis into a book.

What made the discussion especially valuable was that there was no assumption that everyone should follow the same route. Instead, participants were encouraged to carefully consider what was most appropriate for their current stage of study, research goals, and future aspirations. Publishing was presented not as a single destination, but as a process that develops alongside the research itself.

Dr Siklodi spoke openly about journal selection, peer review, responding to feedback, revisions, rejection, and the realities of academic publishing more broadly. The conversation was practical and encouraging, but it never ignored the challenges involved. In many ways, that honesty was what made the session so reassuring. Rather than demystifying publishing by simplifying it, the session demystified it by talking about it openly.

One idea that particularly stayed with me after the session came from a resource that Dr Siklodi later shared with attendees. It centred on a simple principle: you should enjoy what you are doing around 80% of the time. While not every part of research, writing, or publishing is enjoyable, the idea was a useful reminder that academic work should not be defined entirely by stress, deadlines, and uncertainty. At a stage when it’s easy to focus only on outputs and milestones, the concept encouraged a different perspective: that enjoyment, curiosity, and fulfilment are not distractions from academic success, but important parts of sustaining it. It was a small piece of advice, but one that felt remarkably relevant not only to publishing but to the wider PhD journey itself.

The discussion also benefited from the range of perspectives present in the room. Colleagues openly shared questions, experiences, concerns, and ambitions, creating a conversation that felt collaborative rather than prescriptive. The exchange of ideas continued beyond the formal session itself. It served as a reminder that research culture is built not only through publications and milestones but also through openness, generosity, and shared experience.

For me, that is what the SASSHPL PhD Seminar Series has always been about. While each event focuses on a different topic, the broader purpose remains the same: creating opportunities for postgraduate researchers to connect, learn, and navigate the realities of academic life together.