Dear AoIRists - A scholarly approach was offered by Tony Becher and Trowler (2nd edition). Becher, T. and P.R. Trowler. 2001. Academic tribes and territories: Intellectual inquiry and the cultures of disciplines. Buckingham, UK: SRHE and Open University Press. It worked for my PhD thesis although there were the inevitable questions about why not call the practitioners within an academic discipline 'a community of practice' I had my reasons in 2006, convincing to some; not to others! Cheers, Denise Dr Denise N. Rall, Adjunct Lecturer, School of Arts & Social Sciences Chair of Textiles stream, Popular Culture Australia-New Zealand Currently in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia Phones - Mobile +(61)(0)438 233344 Fax +(61)(0)2 6624 5380