Isolated, individualised, and immobilised: information behaviour in the context of academic casualisation
Introduction. Universities rely increasingly on contract academic staff for teaching and research activities; yet, working in precarious conditions, these staff face significant challenges in finding relevant workplace information, in engaging with colleagues, and in building their careers. This stu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Borås
2024-06-01
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| Series: | Information Research: An International Electronic Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://informationr.net/infres/article/view/854 |
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| author | Rebekah Willson Owen Stewart-Robertson Heidi Julien Lisa M. Given |
| author_facet | Rebekah Willson Owen Stewart-Robertson Heidi Julien Lisa M. Given |
| author_sort | Rebekah Willson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction. Universities rely increasingly on contract academic staff for teaching and research activities; yet, working in precarious conditions, these staff face significant challenges in finding relevant workplace information, in engaging with colleagues, and in building their careers. This study examines contract academic staff perceptions of precarity and workplace marginalisation, focusing on the implications of situational and environmental influences on their information practices.
Method. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 34 contract academic staff, working in various disciplines across Canadian universities, were conducted to examine their information practices.
Analysis. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, drawing on everyday life information seeking and information marginalisation theories.
Results. Results of the study show that 1) contract academic staff conduct their work within isolated information environments; 2) this isolation leads these staff to develop highly individualised information practices; and 3) the information activities of contract academic staff are often immobilised, due to the precarious contexts that shape their work and personal lives.
Conclusion. Precarious employment and information marginalisation are deeply entwined for contract academic staff. This results in frustration, disappointment, and uncertainty with their work and personal circumstances. Institutional challenges can seem intractable, particularly where task-related information provision (when available) cannot address systemic concerns. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-57ee0f67cfc0407dadba059a86e17a51 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1368-1613 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-06-01 |
| publisher | University of Borås |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Information Research: An International Electronic Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-57ee0f67cfc0407dadba059a86e17a512025-02-03T10:10:34ZengUniversity of BoråsInformation Research: An International Electronic Journal1368-16132024-06-0129265266810.47989/ir292854851Isolated, individualised, and immobilised: information behaviour in the context of academic casualisationRebekah Willson0Owen Stewart-Robertson1Heidi Julien2Lisa M. Given3McGill UniversityMcGill UniversityUniversity at BuffaloRMIT UniversityIntroduction. Universities rely increasingly on contract academic staff for teaching and research activities; yet, working in precarious conditions, these staff face significant challenges in finding relevant workplace information, in engaging with colleagues, and in building their careers. This study examines contract academic staff perceptions of precarity and workplace marginalisation, focusing on the implications of situational and environmental influences on their information practices. Method. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 34 contract academic staff, working in various disciplines across Canadian universities, were conducted to examine their information practices. Analysis. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, drawing on everyday life information seeking and information marginalisation theories. Results. Results of the study show that 1) contract academic staff conduct their work within isolated information environments; 2) this isolation leads these staff to develop highly individualised information practices; and 3) the information activities of contract academic staff are often immobilised, due to the precarious contexts that shape their work and personal lives. Conclusion. Precarious employment and information marginalisation are deeply entwined for contract academic staff. This results in frustration, disappointment, and uncertainty with their work and personal circumstances. Institutional challenges can seem intractable, particularly where task-related information provision (when available) cannot address systemic concerns.https://informationr.net/infres/article/view/854information practicescasualisationprecarityinformation marginalisationacademic staff |
| spellingShingle | Rebekah Willson Owen Stewart-Robertson Heidi Julien Lisa M. Given Isolated, individualised, and immobilised: information behaviour in the context of academic casualisation Information Research: An International Electronic Journal information practices casualisation precarity information marginalisation academic staff |
| title | Isolated, individualised, and immobilised: information behaviour in the context of academic casualisation |
| title_full | Isolated, individualised, and immobilised: information behaviour in the context of academic casualisation |
| title_fullStr | Isolated, individualised, and immobilised: information behaviour in the context of academic casualisation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Isolated, individualised, and immobilised: information behaviour in the context of academic casualisation |
| title_short | Isolated, individualised, and immobilised: information behaviour in the context of academic casualisation |
| title_sort | isolated individualised and immobilised information behaviour in the context of academic casualisation |
| topic | information practices casualisation precarity information marginalisation academic staff |
| url | https://informationr.net/infres/article/view/854 |
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