This paper explores the ideological orientations of higher education (HE) researchers in the form of a visual map, including three principal 'islands' -- "Pragmatists Peninsula," "Reformists Rock" and "Dystopians Retreat." The development of the HE research field in general, illustrated by the last 40 years of scholarship within "Higher Education Research & Development" in particular, is explained in relation to this metaphorical seascape. The analysis identifies a number of shifting publication patterns, such as the gradual radicalisation of HE scholarship, a growing dystopian literature and the reorientation of pragmatist research interests from micro- and departmental-level concerns to meso-level work directed at strategic, university-wide agendas.