Whose Early Career Is It Anyway?
Abstract
What does it mean to build an academic career when the rules are unwritten, and the promises uncertain? This chapter explores asymmetric reciprocity and abusive friendships within academic relationships through four fictocritical stories. These narratives evoke the lived realities of Early Career Academics (ECAs) navigating competitive, often exploitative environments shaped by subtle (and not-so-subtle) hierarchies. Drawing on Bourdieu’s insights, the chapter critiques neoliberal pressures and institutional norms that obscure power beneath the language of mentorship and collegiality. In reflecting on these vignettes, it calls for a culture rooted in autonomy, care, and genuine intellectual mentorship.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Doctoral Education Challenges and Solutions
Social and Cultural Dynamics
Mentoring and Academic Development
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Starting Academia Differently
- Publisher
- Routledge
- Pages
- 215–222
- Publication date
- 27 May 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter