Emergence of Postfeminist Identities in Higher Education: Neoliberal Dynamics and the Performance of Gendered Subjectivities

This book explores life in the academy from a feminist perspective,uncovering new gendered identities emerging from neoliberal and postfeminist discourses. It adopts a psychosocial lens and highlights academics' responses to stress, anxiety, precarity, and competition. It proposes a typography of emergent, affective identities and offers insights into the current workings of Higher Education.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 137 pages
Publication date: 17 May 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Drawing on qualitative research conducted in universities in Cyprus, this book presents an account of life in the academy from a feminist perspective. In doing so, the texts uncover new gendered identities emerging as a result of neoliberal and postfeminist discourses in Higher Education.

Adopting a psychosocial lens, and drawing on theories of affect and performativity, this volume explains academics' responses to growing levels of stress, anxiety, precarity, and competition in their professional environment. Chapters offer rich observation of how academic staff and faculty negotiate aspects of femininity and masculinity within the academy, highlighting the performance of 'gendered academic subjectivities as a way in which academics deal with increasing pressures and anxiety. Ultimately proposing a typography of emergent, affective identities, including industry academics, fossilized, family, and wannabe academics, the volume yields important insights into the current workings of Higher Education and shows the personal and professional impacts of neoliberal dynamics.

This volume will prove to be a useful resource for researchers and high-level scholars in the fields of education, sociology of education, and gender studies. More generally, scholars and academics with an interest in the changing face of contemporary Higher Education will find this book informative.

Weight: 242g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367555160