In liminal spaces: doctoral agency in international cotutelle programs

Purpose This paper examines how doctoral researchers develop and exercise agency within cotutelle programs. Drawing on social realism, the study conceptualises agency as reflexive engagement with structural conditions and explores how cotutelle participation activates different reflexive modes across time, institutions and disciplinary contexts. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a narrative approach informed by Archer’s theory of reflexivity. Twenty-five doctoral researchers enrolled in cotutelle programs between a UK university and partner institutions in Australia and South Africa participated in semi-structured interviews and visual journey plots. Data were analysed through close readings and thematic synthesis to identify patterns of reflexive engagement. Narrative vignettes were constructed to preserve participant voice and illustrate the findings in depth. Findings Firstly, cotutelle programs create conditions of liminality that prompt doctoral researchers to enact different modes of reflexivity as they navigate shifting institutional, disciplinary and personal contexts. Secondly, the limits of doctoral agency become most apparent when institutional systems are misaligned or when supervisory relationships break down. Thirdly, face-to-face interactions play a crucial role in sustaining the personal, relational and epistemic dimensions of supervision. Originality/value This paper contributes to the theorisation of doctoral agency by linking reflexive modes to the various domains of doctoral learning within cotutelle programs. It challenges the assumption of the fully independent doctoral researcher by foregrounding the relational labour involved in navigating transnational supervision and institutional complexity. The findings offer practical implications for the design and governance of international collaborative doctoral programs.