The Academic Issue

"Hope Labour": The Reality of Sessional Academia

Academic careers have long been associated with stability, prestige, and a clear path from graduate school to tenure. But in today’s universities, an increasing number of scholars find themselves trapped in precarious, low-paid sessional contracts - far from the secure careers they once envisioned.
In this episode of The Academic Issue, Dr. Jamie Paris joins Kate to discuss the systemic issues behind unstable employment in academia, drawing from his article The Exploitation Trap of Hope Labour. We explore the emotional and financial toll of "hope labour" and why universities continue to rely on precarious workers - but is real change possible?
 
Recommended reading:
https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/the-exploitation-trap-of-hope-labour/
https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/advice-for-sessionals/
https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/phd-graduates-continue-to-seek-tenure-track-positions-despite-low-odds-says-report/
 

The Public Intellectual: A Conversation with Steven Pinker

Steven Pinker is a cognitive scientist and the author of nine books written for a general audience. Prolific in his writing and media appearances, he is among the most prominent public intellectuals to have emerged from Canada. 
But what impact does a lifetime communicating with the public have on an academic? How is writing for a general audience different to writing for an academic one? And what role should the public intellectual play in today’s information age?
Kate speaks with Steven in his office at Harvard University.
 
Recommended further reading on public intellectualism:
 
https://universityaffairs.ca/features/the-rise-of-public-scholarship/
https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/academia-needs-public-academics/
https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/canadian-journalism-is-in-deep-trouble-academics-can-help/ 
 

Under Pressure: Mental Health and the Academic Life

Almost two thirds of Canadian academics experience mental health issues during their career. What is behind this? Kate speaks with Kim Hellemans, a professor at Carleton University, to explore the multiple pressures faced by today’s academic - including the often complex student-supervisor relationship.
What duty of pastoral care do faculty have for their students? Are some academics bearing more of the burden of student support than others? And what should faculty do to safeguard their wellbeing against the many strains of the academic life?
Cited in this episode:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1052562920958433
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-art-of-self-improvement/202311/why-are-academics-so-burnt-out
https://universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/how-to-navigate-the-cruelty-of-supervisory-care/
Recommended reading on mental health and academia:
Acknowledging the emotional labour of academic work — University Affairs
Should university instructors disclose mental health conditions? It’s complicated — University Affairs
How to navigate the ‘cruelty of supervisory care’ — University Affairs
 
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AI and Academia

Generative AI tools like Chat GPT have already sent shockwaves through the academic world, raising complex questions about academic integrity and the nature of learning.
As AI and its applications continue to develop at a rapid pace, what will the technology mean for the future of higher education? In this inaugural episode, Kate speaks with Mark Daley, the first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer appointed at a Canadian university. 
Recommended reading on AI and academia:
AI, higher education and the future of academic supervision — University Affairs
‘We haven’t yet had an AI Hiroshima’ — University Affairs
How faculty development can be supported in the age of AI — University Affairs
Useful links:
Interagency Guidelines on the Use of AI to Develop Grant Proposals
Canada's Bill C-27 Digital Charter Implementation Act
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