#AcademicVenting #Redundancy 🧵 ok so i haven’t written here in a long time - for various reasons. But now 15 months or so since redundancy (from a “permanent” UK university post i had for 13 years) i want to give a quick update: to explain why i am hardly on #Mastodon these days, and also because perhaps it’s useful for others - far too many of us are going through this sadly. Also just feel this stuff is worth documenting as one little story of our time.
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#AcademicVenting #Redundancy 🧵so just to state upfront: financially i am doing ok for the time being. I have been very lucky that i got a couple of research consultancy jobs that not only brought in some money but were also really stimulating and enriching: one on race equity and power in global partnerships for the RSPB; one on marine decision-making in Sussex for the MMO. I learned a huge anount, talked to many very impressive people, and really enjoyed both.
#AcademicVenting #Redundancy #Consultancy 🧵
But whilst I very much thought about “going into consultancy”, it’s not teasy when you don’t have an existing network; i found the permanent insecurity hard; and also kept on hearing stories of consultants, too, really struggling at the moment (AI part of this). Also by spring, more academic jobs were advertised again, and overall i felt I had to prioritise applications for more “permanent” jobs; i simply had no time to focus on consultancy
#AcademicVenting #Redundancy 🧵so for several months i just kept on applying, for academic and other jobs. Every application, of course, a big effort of selling, reinventing yourself; all pretty draining. None of the non-acadmic applications (the most work) got me interviews. Hard to change sector! The permanent academic ones also no luck so far. But I did get two part time fixed term ones. So this is what I am doing now: a 0.5 mat cover as a research fellow at the Brighton and Sussex medical
#AcademicVenting #Redundancy 🧵school, on equity in global health partnerships, and a 0.5 mat cover in Geography at UCL. I am also managing an archaeology project for the Museum of West African Art in Nigeria, on earthen heritage. Altogether earning about same as before at the moment; and each job really enjoyable and interesting. But: it is full on precarity, hard work (too much), and i have no idea what it will all lead to - or rather, realising there will be no “to”. Altogether, it’s been
#AcademicVenting #Redundancy #Precarity 🧵good; especially learning wise. I know i am incredibly lucky in so many ways. But it’s hard work, many humiliations (lower grade etc) and also: no central identity. Apart from no time that’s been the main reason why i don’t post here much anymore. So: shoutout here to everyone juggling several insecure jobs: it’s hard, and it really changes, hardens you. Less outward looking, sense of agency, hope. Deeply worrying that majority of us live this way.
#AcademicVenting 🧵anyway: with my new vantage point (fixed term, part time) I am now back in universities and so will take up this 🧵again to vent/reflect (discreetly) on my own experiences but also on the whole sector. Which is NOT in a good state! Everyone knows this but i really want to just write about it all again here, along with others (eg @kate @serenissimaj @actualham @inquiline )
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