Enacting Supervisory Power

Doctoral Students’ Lived Experiences through a Freirean–Feminist Lens

Abstract

This study investigates how doctoral students experience and navigate power within supervisory relationships, drawing on a Freirean–feminist lens emphasizing voice, agency, and relational ethics. Situated within Ethiopian higher education, the research explores the emotional, intellectual, and institutional dimensions of power as lived by students. Using a phenomenographic design, nineteen doctoral students from Social Sciences, Humanities and Education participated in in-depth interviews. Findings reveal students encounter power as a pervasive force. While some internalize authority and conform to academic norms, others resist or negotiate supervisory expectations, exercising constrained agency. Participants also envisioned supervision ensuring emotional safety, intellectual autonomy, and democratic engagement. These insights underscore the need to reimagine supervision as a dialogical and empowering practice. Institutional reforms that promote transparency, student voice, and shared authority are essential for fostering transformative doctoral education.