The academic precariat: understanding life and labour in the neoliberal academy

Commentary: ‘Plumbing Leaks: The post-pandemic Neoliberal turn of Tertiary Students’

“…Nordbäck calls on a quote by Ashcraft (2017, in Nordbäck, 2022): “you bustle among the tenants and habitats of a Neoliberal U whose projects include an increasingly neoliberal you.” Managerialist and marketized policies and practices make the “neoliberal us” work more and they force us to manage (for) ourselves.” When I’ve raised these issues, my concerns have generally been met with feelings my worries are ‘not the student’s job to sort out.’ This, though, seems to fit the idea that an individual’s neoliberal standing shall “be blamed on those considered to be unworthy individuals who have not provided for themselves in times of need” (Benatar et al, 2018 ). It aligns with the description offered to us by Ashcraft, that an individual must ‘manage-for’ themselves in the face of neoliberal change, and it further fits the construction of the “care-less academy” as painted by Burton and Bowman ( 2022 ). My disagreeing too, is perhaps also seen as hurtful to a customer ‘who is always right.’ I have to be frank though, disagreeing is an important part of being a critic and conscience of society.…”

“…It is broadly acknowledged that academic mothers have been particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (França et al, 2022 ), and that “the ideal worker lying behind the neoliberal governance model – someone unencumbered by non-work demands – is grounded on gendered divisions” (Rosa, 2022 ). Burton and Bowman ( 2022 ) comment on the “carelessness and violence as part of the ‘academic precariat’ in that such oppressive actions and atmospheres continually push certain scholars (women, people of colour, disabled and working-class people) to the margins of academia, both professionally and intellectually.” That same ‘precariat’ is recalled by Collins et al ( 2022 ) where it is noted that “tutors were aware of potential impacts of perceived negative student feedback on their precarious contractual situation.” There are the unsung heroes of online pandemic responses - ICT staff, “an historically marginalised constituency within universities, whose contribution is habitually far from understood, frequently confused and thus inadequately valued” (Watermeyer et al, 2022 ). All of these people - some of whom are student peers – are surely worthy of labour reconstruction away from tasks that contribute to their inequality.…”

Developing and renewing marketing as a scientific discipline through reflexive cocreation

“…Mainstream marketing, consumer research, econometric modelling, and macromarketing already adhere to the fundamental axioms of liberal capitalism. Instead, the lack of camaraderie Hunt et al lament is primarily a symptom of a more general subjugation of academia to the competitive, productivist logic of neo-liberal market capitalism (e.g., prioritizing quantity over quality in journal publications) that discourages collaboration and cooperation (Burton & Bowman, 2022;Crowley & Hodson, 2014) rather than the lack of an agreed substantive disciplinary foundation.…”

Rethinking academia in a time of climate crisis

“…Unionization and collective action are crucial tools in demanding good, stable careers ( Weale, 2022 ). Those of us with tenure have a particular responsibility to fight against the increasing casualization of academic labor: as many as 70% of academic positions in the US are currently precarious ( AAUP, 2018 ; Burton and Bowman, 2022 ). While casualized rates in the UK and Europe are lower, striking gender and racial inequalities remain ( UCU, 2019 ; Belleman, 2022 ).…”