Following broader debate about the increasing demands of ‘shadow work’ encountered by VIDAs, our discussions highlighted the significant concern that policies of individualisation, isolation and social shaming are often employed in attempts to cut costs in academia. There seems to be no reflection on what these practices are doing to the wider academy as well as individual academics. The below represents a contentious starting point of such reflection…
The contemporary university is failing as an academic institution. The organization of work does not support academic work, but, instead creates increasing work alienation, making creative and reflective work difficult, and oftentimes impossible. It has become a place where academics are at times “allowed” to “indulge” in some of the activities central to our profession such as research, reading, writing of books and articles, and thinking. Instead, we are made to perform a multitude of tasks belonging to other professional groups, such as administration, management, publishing professionals, technical and support staff and others. We are expected to do these tasks on the conditions defined by outside groups, which are often at direct odds with what is supportive or even tolerable for academic work. There is no respect for the needs of creative and reflective work, demanding focus, concentration and what the Scandinavians call arbetsro/ arbeidsro/ arbejdsro – peace of the working mind. Many of these tasks , disturbing and unwholesome for academic work, are added to our workload not so much by immediate coercion or an explicit deal in exchange for some benefits, but via expectations directed at us, which we often tend to meet without so much as a discussion because of a pervasive sense of shame. We feel inadequate, not able to meet the standards, to do what is presented (explicitly or implicitly) as our job by our non-collegial superiors and from the outside of the academic profession. And driven by this sense of shame we learn to perform tasks which should be performed by other members of staff and other occupations, which takes up an increasing amount of time, often prevents us from doing other work and creating an atmosphere in which it is impossible to engage in reflective or creative work.
We have decided collectively for a strike aimed at the part of emotional labour expected of us that involves a strong individualized sense of shame, mobilizing us to accept doing work that has nothing to do with any part of the academic role: professional, collegial and societal, work falling outside any of these dimensions of our role, work which is neither for academic or public good. We may still have to learn some of these tasks and perform them but without the crippling feeling of shame which destroys our self-respect. The coercive vector active in contemporary universities will then be revealed for what it is and will cease to be concealed by an individualized sense of inadequacy which veils the massive systemic failure.
We are on shame strike. No more individualized shame for systemic failures. No more solving problems individually that should be solved systemically. This is not our shame.
If this post resonates with you, we recommend taking action by rejecting requests for work that employ shaming tactics. If this is a regular feature in your institution you may wish to bring it up with your union as extreme examples of this tactic are clear cases of workplace bullying. If you lack a means of collective representation in your institution, VIDA is here as a means of advice and support, you can find our group on facebook or attend one of our regular events held at major conferences.
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