Doing Academic Careers Differently: Portraits of Academic Life

This book challenges the dominant discourses of how academic careers should be led and offers alternative possibilities for those considering, starting, or developing an academic career. It presents a portrait gallery of insights into alternative academic lives to inspire and encourage current academics to re-think and take ownership of their careers in their own terms.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 428 pages
Publication date: 22 June 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Should academic careers always follow the same path? Is there a single, ideal way to succeed in academia? This book challenges that notion. Conventional beliefs about academics and their roles are becoming increasingly narrow, with an overwhelming emphasis on achieving excellence in teaching and research. This book seeks to broaden the horizons and explore alternative approaches to academic careers.

Authors present individual or collective portraits of their academic journeys, employing metaphors that challenge the dominant narratives of how academic careers should be pursued. They reject the pressure to prioritize a single, groundbreaking achievement and instead advocate for nurturing and caring relationships, transcending disciplinary boundaries, reshaping personal daily practices, connecting with communities, and being academics beyond the confines of academia.

The chapters in this book offer a wealth of alternative possibilities for those considering, embarking on, or developing an academic career. Presented as a portrait gallery, readers are invited to explore at their leisure, gaining insights into diverse academic lives. This compilation of alternative perspectives will inspire and empower current academics to re-evaluate their careers and take ownership of them in their unique ways, considering their strengths, weaknesses, and circumstances.

Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032212616