‘There’s no onboarding, no orientation:’ the role of neoliberal university structures in the lives of precarious academics
Introduction. Increasingly, universities rely on casualised labour for teaching and research activities. Previous research demonstrates that the information practices of academics working in these conditions are significantly compromised, making their information work more difficult. This paper fur...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Borås
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Information Research: An International Electronic Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://publicera.kb.se/ir/article/view/52327 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850132121116475392 |
|---|---|
| author | Rebekah Willson Heidi Julien Owen Stewart-Robertson Lisa M. Given |
| author_facet | Rebekah Willson Heidi Julien Owen Stewart-Robertson Lisa M. Given |
| author_sort | Rebekah Willson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction. Increasingly, universities rely on casualised labour for teaching and research activities. Previous research demonstrates that the information practices of academics working in these conditions are significantly compromised, making their information work more difficult. This paper further explores the context in which contract academic staff work and provides a more holistic picture of their information environment.
Method. To gain a better understanding of the academic context, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve heads of academic units working in various disciplines and across Canadian universities.
Analysis. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, informed by the theoretical frameworks of neoliberalism and information marginalisation.
Results. Two themes were generated from the analysis. 1. Casualisation destabilises and creates divisions. Relying on casualised labour means more and shifting work for permanent staff and the creation of unequal power relationships based between permanent and casualised academics. 2. Contractual status influences access to information and departmental engagement. Based on their contract status, casualised academics are often excluded from the places where workplace information, limiting their access to information.
Conclusion. Neoliberalism and information marginalisation provide frameworks to better understand complex information environments and the systemic issues that influence information practices.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bf2eba2087734668b66f0853eed4b15b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1368-1613 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | University of Borås |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Information Research: An International Electronic Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-bf2eba2087734668b66f0853eed4b15b2025-08-20T02:32:18ZengUniversity of BoråsInformation Research: An International Electronic Journal1368-16132025-05-0130CoLIS10.47989/ir30CoLIS52327‘There’s no onboarding, no orientation:’ the role of neoliberal university structures in the lives of precarious academicsRebekah Willson0Heidi Julien1Owen Stewart-Robertson2Lisa M. Given3School of Information Studies at McGill UniversityDepartment of Information Science at the University at BuffaloSchool of Information Studies at McGill UniversityRMIT University (Melbourne, Australia) Introduction. Increasingly, universities rely on casualised labour for teaching and research activities. Previous research demonstrates that the information practices of academics working in these conditions are significantly compromised, making their information work more difficult. This paper further explores the context in which contract academic staff work and provides a more holistic picture of their information environment. Method. To gain a better understanding of the academic context, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve heads of academic units working in various disciplines and across Canadian universities. Analysis. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, informed by the theoretical frameworks of neoliberalism and information marginalisation. Results. Two themes were generated from the analysis. 1. Casualisation destabilises and creates divisions. Relying on casualised labour means more and shifting work for permanent staff and the creation of unequal power relationships based between permanent and casualised academics. 2. Contractual status influences access to information and departmental engagement. Based on their contract status, casualised academics are often excluded from the places where workplace information, limiting their access to information. Conclusion. Neoliberalism and information marginalisation provide frameworks to better understand complex information environments and the systemic issues that influence information practices. https://publicera.kb.se/ir/article/view/52327Information behaviour and practicesinformation practicescasualisationprecarityinformation marginalisationacademic staff |
| spellingShingle | Rebekah Willson Heidi Julien Owen Stewart-Robertson Lisa M. Given ‘There’s no onboarding, no orientation:’ the role of neoliberal university structures in the lives of precarious academics Information Research: An International Electronic Journal Information behaviour and practices information practices casualisation precarity information marginalisation academic staff |
| title | ‘There’s no onboarding, no orientation:’ the role of neoliberal university structures in the lives of precarious academics |
| title_full | ‘There’s no onboarding, no orientation:’ the role of neoliberal university structures in the lives of precarious academics |
| title_fullStr | ‘There’s no onboarding, no orientation:’ the role of neoliberal university structures in the lives of precarious academics |
| title_full_unstemmed | ‘There’s no onboarding, no orientation:’ the role of neoliberal university structures in the lives of precarious academics |
| title_short | ‘There’s no onboarding, no orientation:’ the role of neoliberal university structures in the lives of precarious academics |
| title_sort | there s no onboarding no orientation the role of neoliberal university structures in the lives of precarious academics |
| topic | Information behaviour and practices information practices casualisation precarity information marginalisation academic staff |
| url | https://publicera.kb.se/ir/article/view/52327 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rebekahwillson theresnoonboardingnoorientationtheroleofneoliberaluniversitystructuresinthelivesofprecariousacademics AT heidijulien theresnoonboardingnoorientationtheroleofneoliberaluniversitystructuresinthelivesofprecariousacademics AT owenstewartrobertson theresnoonboardingnoorientationtheroleofneoliberaluniversitystructuresinthelivesofprecariousacademics AT lisamgiven theresnoonboardingnoorientationtheroleofneoliberaluniversitystructuresinthelivesofprecariousacademics |