Resilience is costly; specifically, we pay to play, to produce beauty and community in our leadership, teaching, and research. This is because our institutions and programs run on credit–racking up debts charged to our self-esteem, our physical and mental health, our social connections, and our creativity.
The tenure-track process for most of the study participants was, in some way or another, an experience of gaslighting, overwork, and dehumanization (sometimes disguised as care). Some scholars continued to put out new growth regardless of apparent brokenness. Others hid the costs behind smiles and smooth outward achievements. Not a single participant stopped moving forward in their research, building community and love in their scholarship and teaching, or choosing joy in all areas of their lives.
This theme holds dark honesty. It is in the openness about the pain of our department colleagues and institutions that we show our love for our field. By expecting better, we entertain hope for something different, if not for ourselves, then for our future colleagues.
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Studies
