Reconceptualizing doctoral students’ journeyings: Possibilities for profound happiness?

This article argues for a shift away from the measurement and metrics discourse of ‘satisfaction’ and towards more nuanced understandings of ‘happiness’ in relation to part-time doctoral students’ educational flourishing. Grounded in empirical data and using the concept of ‘material moments’, the article brings to the fore the complex nature of students’ experiences of profound happiness in relation to three themes: time for me, spatial imaginaries, and the challenge of community. The article’s theoretical contribution lies in its deployment of happiness as an analytical lens which provides more nuanced understandings of doctoral students’ experiences and learning journeyings. Its methodological contribution lies in its use of creative, visual approaches to generate close-up insights into students’ experiences.