01 Higher Education Reading Group
Article: Griffin, G. (2022). The ‘Work-Work Balance’in higher education: Between over-work, falling short and the pleasures of multiplicity. Studies in Higher Education, 47(11), 2190-2203.
Discussion notes:
During the discussion of Griffin's paper several key points emerged. Firstly, there was a contemplation of the extent to which academics themselves are responsible for their workloads being to heavy. Ambition was identified as a driving force, leading academics to be complicit in their own exploitation, often working weekends and sacrificing personal time. This raised questions about whether this phenomenon is entirely new or simply more widespread now, allowing it to be acknowledged and criticized openly. The notion of the "mid-career slump" in academia was mentioned, suggesting that this might be a specific issue for academics at a certain stage in their careers. However, burnout and exhaustion are recognized as common now across various professions, indicating a broader societal issue.
The discussion then delved into the equation of time management within academia, balancing scholarly duties, administrative tasks, teaching responsibilities, and personal life. The suggestion was made that “successful individuals” in academia, often viewed as role models, navigate these demands adeptly, albeit sometimes at the expense of their well-being. Here, success, is merely a Darwinian function of survival. This is because the contextual solutions these individuals may employ may vary depending on circumstances, societal mores and technological advancements amongst others. The discussion then turned academics and universities as institutions of complexity reduction, offering models for coping with the overwhelming demands of their profession within a reality that is always too much to handle. However, the definition of success in academia—whether it is sustainable, ethical, or exploitative—is not always clear until widely adopted. Thus, there is a constant need for reevaluation of acceptable practices to contribute meaningfully to the discipline while avoiding burnout.
The discussion then turned to what “tribes” constitute the university and its constituent parts, e.g. management, administration, teaching, academic etc. In where there can develop a tribalism amongst these fractions. Here, the tribalism is an emergent epiphenomena, because of the lack of interaction between these fractions. Henceforth, there is a lack of socialization that engenders communication and subsequently a shared linguistic repertoire of how to communicate issues. As such, without such a shared understanding, problems are individualized and the people are antagonized that raise these issues in a shoot the messenger style fashion. This type of factionalism can go so far, as seeing academics just as “clients” of the university. Where they become exchangeable cogs, and the administrative and managerial part of the university is the “true” university.
The discussion emphasized the importance of prioritizing contributions to knowledge while ensuring the well-being of individuals and the collective. Passion, derived from the Latin word meaning "to suffer," was acknowledged as intrinsic to academia but should not entail involuntary suffering or harm. The prevalence of burnout suggests a collective issue that requires further exploration, indicating that while individual choices may contribute to the problem, systemic factors also play a significant role. In essence, the pursuit of knowledge and academic identity must be balanced with self-care and collective well-being to maintain a sustainable academic environment.
