The Precarity Project aims to help UK-based early career Americanists, particularly those on fixed-term or precarious contracts find their way in, or their way out of, the academy.
This project is steered by Megan Hunt, the ECR rep. for HOTCUS, and James West, the ECR rep. for BAAS.
This project is steered by Megan Hunt, the ECR rep. for HOTCUS, and James West, the ECR rep. for BAAS.
PRECARITY; HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM IS IT?
A generation ago, it was not uncommon for newly-minted PhDs in American Studies or associated disciplines such as History and Literature to secure permanent academic positions shortly after (or even before) the completion of their doctorates.
That is no longer the case.
Long-term trends - most notably the dramatic and disproportionate growth of new PhDs since the mid 1990s - as well as the more recent impact of the Great Recession - have fed the casualisation of UKHE - a trend that will no doubt be further exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For UK-based Americanists, the arrival of increasing numbers of North American trained academics, coupled with the contraction of American Studies as a discipline in Britain, has further clogged the PhD-to-Professor pipeline.
That is no longer the case.
Long-term trends - most notably the dramatic and disproportionate growth of new PhDs since the mid 1990s - as well as the more recent impact of the Great Recession - have fed the casualisation of UKHE - a trend that will no doubt be further exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For UK-based Americanists, the arrival of increasing numbers of North American trained academics, coupled with the contraction of American Studies as a discipline in Britain, has further clogged the PhD-to-Professor pipeline.
Between 2010 and 2017 the number of students enrolled on American Studies courses in Britain declined by more than 25 percent
Source: British Academy, 2018
Between 1994 and 2013, the number of doctorates in history grew by more than 150 percent, but the number of HE teachers in the discipline rose by less than 30 percent
Source: Brodie Waddell, 2015
"While it would be an exaggeration to suggest that the stream of American scholars heading to Britain has now become a flood, their numbers have appreciably increased"
Source: Stephen Tuck and Clive Webb, 2020
Today precarity - in the form of fixed-term, temporary, or atypical contracts - are a fact of life for many Americanists, and in particular for early career researchers (often defined as scholars within 3-5 years of completing their PhDs).
When the use of atypical academic staff is factored in, 54% percent of all academic staff and 49% of all academic teaching staff are on insecure contracts
Source: UCU Report, "Precarious Work in Higher Education" April, 2016
46% of universities use zero-hours contracts to deliver teaching
Source: The Guardian, 2020
The number of university teachers on atypical contracts (not permanent part- or full-time) jumped from zero in 1999 to about 75,000 in 2016
Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency, 2018
FINDING YOUR WAY IN....
Precarity placed an incredible burden on early career Americanists.
TEACHING
The proliferation of Teaching Fellowships and similar positions means that many scholars - often with little teaching experience and employed on a fixed-term or year-to-year basis - now face a difficult transition from their PhD into teaching-intensive roles. ECRs are tasked with creating or updating courses at breakneck speed, often having to repeat this process every year or between different institutions.
RESEARCH
Precarity directly impacts the ability of ECRs to research and publish original scholarship - widely seen as key to securing a stable academic position. Teaching loads encourage burn-out. Precariously employed scholars are often ineligible to apply for internal research funds or external research fellowships.
NETWORKING
Fractional or fixed-term positions exacerbate financial uncertainty and make it more difficult for ECRs to present at or attend conferences and other events in their fields.
Through the creation and collection of new and existing resources and the development of a dedicated ECR network, The Precarity Project hopes to address some of these concerns.
TEACHING
The proliferation of Teaching Fellowships and similar positions means that many scholars - often with little teaching experience and employed on a fixed-term or year-to-year basis - now face a difficult transition from their PhD into teaching-intensive roles. ECRs are tasked with creating or updating courses at breakneck speed, often having to repeat this process every year or between different institutions.
RESEARCH
Precarity directly impacts the ability of ECRs to research and publish original scholarship - widely seen as key to securing a stable academic position. Teaching loads encourage burn-out. Precariously employed scholars are often ineligible to apply for internal research funds or external research fellowships.
NETWORKING
Fractional or fixed-term positions exacerbate financial uncertainty and make it more difficult for ECRs to present at or attend conferences and other events in their fields.
Through the creation and collection of new and existing resources and the development of a dedicated ECR network, The Precarity Project hopes to address some of these concerns.
FINDING YOUR WAY OUT...
The increasing scarcity of academic jobs across almost all disciplines has fed the development of a cottage industry geared towards the growing number of PhDs who either chose to or are forced to pursue "Alt-Ac" careers - a term used to describe academic-adjacent positions within Higher Education, as well as careers beyond the academy.
However, the overwhelming majority of available resources are focused on the North American academy. It is often difficult to find useful information about how to leverage a PhD (either in American Studies specifically or in the Humanities more generally) for the UK job market. At the same time, UK institutions awarding PhDs in American Studies and associated disciplines have proven themselves to be slow in responding to the increasing demand for "alt-ac" information and advice.
Acknowledging this issue, The Precarity Project focuses on providing practical advice from and examples of UK-based Americanists who have moved into academic-adjacent positions, or who have left the academy altogether.
However, the overwhelming majority of available resources are focused on the North American academy. It is often difficult to find useful information about how to leverage a PhD (either in American Studies specifically or in the Humanities more generally) for the UK job market. At the same time, UK institutions awarding PhDs in American Studies and associated disciplines have proven themselves to be slow in responding to the increasing demand for "alt-ac" information and advice.
Acknowledging this issue, The Precarity Project focuses on providing practical advice from and examples of UK-based Americanists who have moved into academic-adjacent positions, or who have left the academy altogether.
