Alison Owens Alison Owens i(12941303 works by)
Gender: Female
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Works By

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1 Australian Women Writers’ Popular Non-fiction Prose in the Pre-war Period : Exploring Their Motivations Alison Owens , Donna Lee Brien , 2022 single work criticism
— Appears in: The Australasian Journal of Popular Culture , vol. 11 no. 1-2 2022; (p. 63-80) 'Since the 1970s, feminist scholars have undertaken important critical work on Australian women’s writing of earlier eras, profiling and promoting their fiction. Less attention has been afforded to the popular non-fiction produced by Australian women writers and, in particular, to that produced before the Second World War. Yet this writing is important for several reasons. First, the non-fiction writing of Australian women was voluminous and popular with readers. Second, this popular work critically engaged with a tumultuous political, social and moral landscape in which, as women’s rights were increasingly realized through legislation, the subjectivity of women themselves was fluid and contested. Third, as many of these women were also, or principally, fiction writers, their non-fiction can be shown to have informed and influenced many of their fictional interests, themes and characters. Lastly, and critically, popular non-fiction publication helped to financially sustain many of these writers. In proposing a conceptual framework informed by the work of Pierre Bourdieu to analyse examples of this body of work, this article not only suggests that important connections exist between popular and mainstream non-fiction works – newspaper and magazine articles, essays, pamphlets and speeches – and the fictional publications of Australian women writers of the early twentieth century but also suggests that these connections may represent an Australian literary habitus where writing across genre, form and audience was a professional approach that built and sustained literary careers.' (Publication abstract) 
1 Investigating Candidates’ Research Experience beyond the Thesis : the Peripheral World of the Doctorate Donna Lee Brien , Alison Owens , Craig Batty , Elizabeth Ellison , 2019 single work criticism
— Appears in: TEXT Special Issue Website Series , October no. 57 2019; 'This article focuses on both the process and the results of a recently completed research project that concentrated on what are commonly seen as peripheral aspects of the doctorate; that is, aspects of candidature that lie beyond, and outside of, the core work of what is widely understood to be research training. The project saw 18 candidates from the creative arts and humanities – and creative writing in particular – gather to reflect upon their learning journeys, and then analyse and theorise the ‘human’ dimensions of undertaking a doctorate. These often peripheral aspects were revealed to have a major influence on undertaking a research degree, as well as affecting candidates’ progress and satisfaction with their studies, and career potential beyond the research degree. This article first outlines how candidates were able to develop a language with which to identify some of the major human dimensions – the lived experience – of undertaking a doctorate that emerged from the project. It then explores how candidates were able to articulate their own growth in the form of producing an edited collection of essays in order that others might benefit from this reflective learning.'

 (Publication abstract)
1 Exegetical Essentials : A Framing Structure and Template for a Comprehensive Exegesis in the Creative Arts Donna Lee Brien , Alison Owens , Gail Pittaway , Irene Waters , 2017 single work criticism
— Appears in: TEXT Special Issue Website Series , no. 44 2017;

'For over two decades, the number of candidates undertaking, and completing, research higher degrees in the discipline of creative arts has continued to grow, yet the anxiety associated with the exegesis, or critical component, to the award has not dissipated. This article reports the views of a small number of research higher degree candidates and their supervisor in response to questions posed by the TEXT ‘Exegesis now’ call for papers. In this sample, the exegesis was perceived as a necessary and useful component to the award by all respondents, who are completing diverse creative projects. However, respondents also express some anxiety and uncertainty over what is required in the exegesis in terms of formal, structural and compositional elements. Discussion of the views expressed by respondents identifies common challenges and proposes a number of strategies that may provide greater certainty and alleviate some of the anxiety for candidates and their supervisors. It includes a template for a comprehensive exegesis and two ways the exegesis can be structured to form a rigorous frame around, and supportive complement to the creative work.'  (Publication abstract)
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