Emerging Scholars Colloquium - Questions Posed by Participants

Prior to the 26th International Congress on Social & Environmental Accounting Research, CSEAR organised a very successful one-day Emerging Scholars Colloquium which aimed to introducing emerging scholars into the social and environmental accounting research community, and provide them an opportunity to present and discuss their research projects alongside a cohort of distinguished international faculty.

At this event, a number of important questions were raised by emerging scholars. CSEAR's council members felt it would be helpful to use the blog to explore these questions and generate some dialogue around the issued arising from them.

The questions were:

• In a field such as social and environmental accounting there must be periods where you feel deflated by the issues we write about. How do you avoid losing your passion?
• This is a stupid question, but in my whole academic career I've never heard anyone explain it. How does academia fit in society? Does it influence society, and, if so, how? It´s a question that could provide more meaning to the academic pursuit of knowledge.
• What can be the contribution of research in promoting the correct use of social and environmental reporting instruments?
• Is it too ambitious to think that accountants will play a central role in saving the world from environmental disaster?
• How can you give your time as a PhD student?
• How can we have publish work out of this colloquium as PhDs? 
• Do you think it is necessary to defend social and environment accounting against mainstream accounting? Why or why not?
• As a PhD student without a funding grant, how can we avoid the lack of financing to endanger our passion?

Over the coming days, members of CSEAR's executive council and others will offer their perspective on these questions. However, if you have your own views, we would welcome these too, either by commenting on the blog, or via CSEAR's facebook page. Please join in the conversation!