Reflections on a bygone era: How changes in work, workplaces and policy have changed what we research and what we find

In 2005 I was awarded a doctoral degree as a result of my original research around nine menwho self reported literacy difficulties. The chapters in which I provided a vignette of each ofthe nine and the results and findings chapters proved to be really interesting. Following arecent discussion with a colleague I began to wonder if my study could be replicated in lightof the changes to work, workplaces and policy since I completed my study and it promptedthe question: if this study could be replicated, would the results be the same? Using reportsand discussions published on the ACAL site and my doctoral thesis, this paper seeks torespond to this question. Essentially it reviews the characteristics of those respondents whohad achieved success at work despite (in some cases) quite considerable literacy difficultiesand maps these characteristics against post-2005 changes to work, workplaces and policy.The review is preceded by a definition of literacy difficulties and an introduction to thetheoretical underpinnings of the thesis. This reflective paper serves to demonstrate howpolicy changes have undermined notions of literacy, identity and forever altered the possiblefindings of such research.