Having ticked off many of the tasks I had set for myself during our time in quarantine, I decided to devote myself this week to my PhD, and in particular to writing a paper on a piece of critical discourse analysis (CDA) I had done on the Safeguarding Overview document of the Church of England.
My discourse analysis had yielded some really interesting perspectives on this document, highlighting much that was positive, but also some aspects which I felt were unhelpful or misleading. Given the publication of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA)’s report on the Anglican Church, and the Church’s own commitment to implementing its recommendations, I felt it would be helpful to publish my findings.
So it was with a degree of frustration that I found that the Church has now removed this Overview document from its website.
Perhaps all my careful structuring and control of our quarantine time is starting to unravel.
There were other signs, also, of cracks in the fabric:
- As my computer microphone packed up and I could not be heard in two important Microsoft Teams meetings set up with researchers for our National Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
- As I sat on Zoom, waiting to be let into a meeting which was actually scheduled for tomorrow and which I had, somehow, entered into my calendar 24 hours out of sync
- As I failed, in consequence, to book an exercise slot for today, so leaving me without any opportunity to get out in the fresh air and sunshine of the pool deck
Still, we only have two days to go now.
So, with a deep breath, I sat down at my computer and refocused my research paper on the Safeguarding Policy document that was the other subject of my CDA.
And, by some miracle of grace, the words started to flow.
