"Enjoy the Struggle": Twelve Strategic Principles for Early Career Researchers, Based on the Experiences of Female Senior Professors in Critical Disciplines

• In Event: Transforming Early Academic Careers: Global Challenges and Individual Trajectories - II: Crafting the Academic Self

Abstract

In the era of global competition, transformations within academia have not only been affecting the political economy of academia and its epistemic level, but also the lives of the academic employees within the system. Despite some marginalised groups having shown some resistance against it, many early career researchers conform to this contemporary academic system and are eager and determined to show that they are worth a place within this environment. The aim of this presentation is therefore to introduce a set of strategic principles for early career feminist researchers. By means of intimate-insider research succesful senior female academics in critical/feminist disciplines where enquired about their experiences within the academic system and the foundations for their personal succes. In addition we probed for recommandations and guidance that would be useful to female early career researchers such as ourselves, based on their own experiences. The findings show that none of the participants regret their decision to go into academia, but have generally paid for it with their health. Most of the strategies that these senior female academics applied themselves, are relevant to the modern neo-liberal academic environment as well, and comprise of principles revolving around the academic environment and the private-life situation. The findings point towards a situation in which gender and the nature of ones discipline continues to add to the complexities of academic career making.

Authors

• Thamar Melanie Heijstra, University of Iceland

• Gyða Margrét Pétursdóttir, University of Iceland