Contingent Faculty and the Remaking of Higher Education: A Labor History

The majority of college and university instructors in the United States are part-time, contingent faculty members who face job insecurity, poor pay, and lack of benefits. This collection explores the history of the contingent faculty system and its impact on academic workplaces through the lens of labor history.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 23 January 2024
Publisher: University of Illinois Press

The educational landscape in the United States is currently facing a significant crisis, with a striking statistic revealing that nearly three-quarters of the individuals teaching in two- and four-year colleges and universities are classified as contingent faculty. These educators endure the hardships commonly associated with the gig economy, including a lack of job security, access to healthcare, professional respect, and poverty-level wages that force them to juggle multiple jobs to make ends meet. This collection, curated from a diverse range of perspectives, aims to shed light on the realities of the contingent faculty system through the lens of labor history. The essayists in this volume explore the structural changes that have led to the proliferation of contingent faculty and examine how precarity shapes the daily experiences within the academic workplace. Additionally, other essays delve into the strategies employed by contingent faculty to resist austerity measures, advocate for improved working conditions, and initiate reforms in higher education. By challenging the notion of contingency, this volume makes a compelling case for reclaiming the public purpose of higher education.

Interdisciplinary in approach and multifaceted in perspective, Contingent Faculty and the Remaking of Higher Education provides a comprehensive survey of the adjunct system and its attendant costs. The contributors to this volume, drawn from various fields and backgrounds, offer insightful perspectives on the challenges faced by contingent faculty and the potential solutions to address them.

Gwendolyn Alker, Diane Angell, Joe Berry, Sue Doe, Eric Fure-Slocum, Claire Goldstene, Trevor Griffey, Erin Hatton, William A. Herbert, Elizabeth Hohl, Miguel Juárez, Aimee Loiselle, Maria C. Maisto, Anne McLeer, Steven Parfitt, Jiyoon Park, Claire Raymond, Gary Rhoades, Jeff Schuhrke, Elizabeth Tandy Shermer, Steven Shulman, Joseph van der Naald, Anne Wiegard, Naomi R Williams, and Helena Worthen are among the esteemed scholars and experts who have contributed their expertise to this important work.

In conclusion, the educational crisis in the United States is characterized by the prevalence of contingent faculty, who face numerous hardships and challenges in their roles. This collection provides a valuable exploration of the realities of the contingent faculty system through the lens of labor history, offering insights into the structural changes that have contributed to its growth and the strategies employed by contingent faculty to resist austerity measures and advocate for reforms. By reclaiming the public purpose of higher education, this volume serves as a call to action for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders to address the systemic issues facing contingent faculty and work towards creating a more equitable and sustainable educational landscape.

Weight: 514g
Dimension: 156 x 236 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780252087653