From pure academics to transformative scholars? The crisis of the “ideal academic” in a Peruvian university

Abstract

In the last 2 decades, the Latin American university has embarked on a shift toward increasing scientific production, following a pattern common to much of the Global North. Few studies have analyzed how this process has had a differentiated impact on male and female scholars. In dialog with previous studies, we explore the changing nature of the “ideal academic,” accounting for its gendered character in an historically and culturally specific context. Based on a qualitative study, we describe the crisis of a model that idealized theoretical work and exclusive dedication to academia, and show that, in a broader context of feminist mobilizations, a critical discourse is emerging, stressing the need to bridge academic life and professional and political concerns. We seek to contribute to studies on changes in the Latin American academy illustrating the gendered ways through which the neoliberal university ends up being contested in the Global South.

Soft skills among academics: Five theoretically informed lessons for current times

“…What we believe to be essential in a context where academics are faced with a wide range of expectations and demands placed upon their skills by various stakeholders is for academics to prioritize what they believe is essential and important in their work, rather than trying to meet the expectations of everyone around them. Attempting to satisfy all expectations can have a negative impact on their mental well-being and lead to burnout or exhaustion (Manky & Saravia, 2021). By focusing on what they believe is most important, academics can better preserve their physical, mental, and emotional health, thereby maintaining their passion and motivation for their work (Scholz & Szulc, 2023).…”

Organizing vulnerability exploring Judith Butler's conceptualization of vulnerability to study organizations

“…By eliciting recognition and responsibility, such a perspective demands that scholars take a stance (Murphy, 2011), an argument that has been put forward and theorized in critical and feminist MOS research (E. Bell et al., 2019; Contu, 2020; Manky & Saravia, 2022; Rhodes et al., 2018) and recently is even entering general management and organization scholarship (e.g., Delmestri, 2023; R. E. Meyer & Quattrone, 2021).…”

Introduction: Revitalizing Collegiality: Restoring Faculty Authority in Universities

“…Extensive research shows that universities, even if claimed to be run by ideals of an "egalitarian and collegial philosophy" (Eslen-Ziya & Yildrim, 2021, p. 302) are still gendered. Women face particular difficulties when struggling to publish in high-impact journals, end up "opting out" from research to focus mainly on teaching, become targets for gendered stereotypes in career and evaluation processes (Manky & Saravia, 2021), and are excluded from central networks (Eslen-Ziya & Yildrim, 2021). In brief, academic excellence, or the "ideal academic" has been ascribed a masculine gender (Van den Brink & Benschop, 2012), thereby disadvantaging women, men who seek to strive for work-life balance (Lund et al, 2019), and scholars from the global South (Manky & Saravia, 2021).…”