Shifting landscapes: from coalface to quick sand? Teaching geography, earth and environmental sciences in UK higher education

Dyer, Sarah; Walkington, Helen; Williams, Rebecca; Morton, Katherine; Wyse, Stephanie

doi:10.1111/area.12261

Shifting landscapes: from coalface to quick sand? Teaching geography, earth and environmental sciences in UK higher education

Dyer, Sarah; Walkington, Helen; Williams, Rebecca; Morton, Katherine; Wyse, Stephanie

Authors

Sarah Dyer

Helen Walkington

Dr Rebecca Williams Rebecca.Williams@hull.ac.uk
Reader in Volcanology

Katherine Morton

Stephanie Wyse

Abstract

In this paper we examine contemporary academic working lives, with particular reference to teaching-only and teaching-focused academics. We argue that intensification in the neoliberal university has significantly shifted the structure of academic careers, while cultural stories about those careers have not changed. We call for academics to re-examine our collective stories about standard academic career paths. Challenging the stories and making visible the ways that they create and multiply disadvantage is a crucial step in expanding the possibilities for academic identities and careers. The paper begins by describing teaching-focused academics within the context of the wider workforce. We then draw on narratives of those in these roles to illustrate the processes that (re)inscribe their marginalisation. We uncover the gendering of the teaching-focused academic labour market. We end the paper by suggesting interventions that all academics can take and support to address the issues we highlight.

Citation

Dyer, S., Walkington, H., Williams, R., Morton, K., & Wyse, S. (2016). Shifting landscapes: from coalface to quick sand? Teaching geography, earth and environmental sciences in UK higher education. Area, 48(3), 308-316. https://doi.org/10.1111/area.12261

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Dec 18, 2015
Online Publication Date	Jun 6, 2016
Publication Date	2016-09
Deposit Date	Jul 21, 2017
Publicly Available Date	Jul 21, 2017
Journal	Area
Print ISSN	0004-0894
Publisher	Wiley
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	48
Issue	3
Pages	308-316
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1111/area.12261
Keywords	Education; Academic labour; Gender; Teaching
Public URL	https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/453675
Publisher URL	http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/area.12261/abstract
Additional Information	This is the author's accepted manuscript of an article published in Area, 2016, v.48 issue 3.
Contract Date	Jul 21, 2017