Tomorrow’s a mystery: constructions of the future and ‘un/becoming’ amongst ‘early’ and ‘late’ career academics

Read, Barbara and Leathwood, Carole (2018) Tomorrow’s a mystery: constructions of the future and ‘un/becoming’ amongst ‘early’ and ‘late’ career academics. International Studies in Sociology of Education, 27 (4). pp. 333-351. ISSN 1747-5066

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Abstract / Description

Constructing a secure sense of a professional future has become increasingly difficult for early career researchers, whilst concerns about present and future job in/security have also been expressed in relation to already-established academics. In this paper, we draw on qualitative data from a U.K. study to explore everyday conceptualisations of the future for both ‘early career’ and ‘late career’ academics, in the context of increased fears and actualities of occupational precarity. We utilise theories of the social construction of time, as well as a conception of precarity and ‘precarization’ utilised by Butler (2009a, 2009b) and Lorey (2015), relating to ‘politically induced’ forms of insecurity that are a direct product of neoliberalism. The research reveals a variety of forms and levels of concern and anxiety by both groups for their own futures, and for the future of the academy as a whole.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	From Crossref via Jisc Publications Router.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	academics, early career, precarity, casualisation, neoliberalism
Subjects:	300 Social sciences > 370 Education
Department:	School of Social Professions (to June 2021) School of Social Sciences and Professions
SWORD Depositor:	Pub Router
Depositing User:	Pub Router
Date Deposited:	13 Apr 2018 13:48
Last Modified:	16 Apr 2020 15:57
URI:	https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/id/eprint/1419

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