14/20 This profound sense of identity is reinforced by the idea that academia offers freedom—intellectual autonomy within a system of support. But this freedom is increasingly compromised by bureaucratic constraints and managerialism.

13/20 The emotional labor involved in this dedication is immense, making it difficult to switch off or disengage. The emotional labor involved in this dedication is immense, making it difficult to switch off or disengage.

12/20 Many academics I’ve spoken to describe their work in terms of “fighting the good fight” or “being in the trenches.” This war-like rhetoric reflects how academic identity can often feel like a battle to uphold values within a system that undermines them.

11/20 The idea of "academic identity" fosters a love for teaching, research, and scholarship. Yet, when this love is unreciprocated by the institution, it can lead to feelings of burnout and disillusionment.

10/20 increasing workloads, underfunding, expectations of unpaid labor, and toxic institutional practices. As these systemic pressures mount, many academics feel a sense of guilt and responsibility for their struggles. We internalise the blame, even when the system itself is fundamentally flawed.

9/20 Whatever anyone's origin story in HE, for most of us there is an ingrained commitment to scholarship, teaching and the ideal of the university as a space of knowledge. Often come into conflict with the realities of the modern academic environment:

8/20 For a working class kid was very much not classically educated, in fact I was a mature student who funded his education on credit cards and restaurant pay, the dream of a life in side the ivory tower was somewhat fantastical.

7/20 The cliché kind of "life of the mind" is possibly somewhat old fashioned now. But certainly when I started the university as an environment that supported the ideals of learning and knowledge for their own sake, was what I found so appealing.

6/20 Indeed, there is cult of performative overwork which I've encountered a lot over the years. What makes academic identity complex is that it's not just about fulfilling job responsibilities. For most of us there a deeper, existential commitment to the idea of learning and curiosity.

5/20 This vocational drive often leads to sacrifices in personal well-being, as the ideals of academia demand a commitment beyond a typical 9-to-5 job. The blurred line between personal and professional life is central to this identity.