Learning to live with liminality: reflections of a Probation pracademic on joining the academy.

Liminality is commonly understood as a space within which individuals’ transition from one definitive state to another. In relation to pracademics, it has been portrayed within literature as something to be endured and overcome within the first few years of joining academia By way of contrast, this chapter will argue that a state of liminality does not need to be time-bound or transitional; instead, it can prove to be beneficial in the context of criminal justice education and research. By drawing upon my experience of teaching on a traditional undergraduate criminology programme and professional graduate diploma (Professional Qualification in Probation, (PQiP)), whilst simultaneously building my identity as an Early Career Researcher (ECR), I aim to illustrate the ways pracademics can enhance teaching and learning and engage the professional practice realm through research. I also reflect upon the impact of neo-liberal policy technologies upon Probation and Higher Education and the relevance of this for grappling with liminality in my current role. I conclude the chapter with the argument that pracademia matters in the context of criminal justice education and research and suggest mechanisms that can support pracademic perceptions of legitimacy.