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Academic identities under threat?
Abstract
This article focuses on the lived experience of practising academics as part of an inquiry into the vexed question of ‘academic identities’. Identity is understood not as a fixed property, but as part of the lived complexity of a person's project. The article reports on data from a small study in one university. The data suggest that academic identity is complex and that, moreover, it cannot be read off from descriptions of teaching, research, or management roles. Respondents in all roles were able to maintain highly distinctive, strongly framed academic identities. Experiences of class, gender and the significance of family are reported as having continued salience in respondents' lives. Moreover, despite all the pressure of performativity, individuals created spaces for the exercise of principled personal autonomy and agency. The article concludes that paying detailed attention to how changes are being experienced is an important element in theorising trends in the sector.
Overview
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Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“In accordance, Clegg (2008, 343) suggests that rather than being under threat, academic identities are expanding and university offers possibilities ' for valorising difference ' .”
From Tensions and striving for coherence in an academic’s professional identity work (2018) · cites this paper as Clegg 2008
In the citing paper
“Personal stories (Churchman and King 2009) or personal projects (Clegg 2008), often characterised by strong value orientations and a deep sense of engagement, do not always endorse the economic and managerial priorities set by institutions.”
From Tensions and striving for coherence in an academic’s professional identity work (2018) · cites this paper as Clegg 2008
In the citing paper
“Anna could continue her personal project reflecting a strong value orientation and deep sense of engagement (Clegg 2008).”
From Tensions and striving for coherence in an academic’s professional identity work (2018) · cites this paper as Clegg 2008
In the citing paper
“Anna stayed at the university, finding a space and direction that allowed her to live up to her values and deep sense of engagement (Clegg 2008).”
From Tensions and striving for coherence in an academic’s professional identity work (2018) · cites this paper as Clegg 2008
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References 45 · Cited by 571
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Metadata
- Authors
- Clegg, S.
- Affiliations
- Leeds Beckett University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Clegg, Sue
- Venue
- British Educational Research Journal
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2008-06
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 329-345
- ISSN
- 0141-1926 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-3518
- OpenAlex
- W2126309888
- Cited by
- 571
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 28 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 43 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 41 · 2016: 47 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 28
- FWCI
- 179.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Educational Research Journal (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Governance and Development
- Social Sciences › Education › University Challenges and Reforms
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management and Organizational Studies
- Keywords
- academic identity, academic roles, class, gender, family, performativity, individual autonomy, agency, higher education, academic careers
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