Today I sent a tweet about my workplace that went viral. Thanks to everyone who made that happen. So now that I have your attention, let's chat, shall we? Bear with me.
I am a highly educated white woman with a permanent full time job in the academy. I have a GOOD JOB. My job never puts me in danger as a matter of course. I am paid to think, and teach, for a living. I take this very seriously, as do most of my colleagues. Ideas matter.
I spend a lot of time thinking about the world of work. Work defines our lives - both paid and unpaid. Who does the work, and when, matters. Work is racialised, gendered, and classed, for starters. Meritocracy is utter bullshit..../
How different kinds of work is valued defines our society. Whose work matters, when, and why. I spend a lot of time arguing that storytelling is work. Damn hard work. For some it's well paid, for most it's not. Our screen stories matter. You're on a screen right now. Hey?
So thank you everyone, for listening to my story about my permanent FT job, for which I trained for years and which is high skill. I love my job and as a former freelancer I never take it for granted. At the same time, these jobs matter. Why? My research communities tell me so.
We work with communities to tell stories. I have the privilege of what I call the 50K ft view - to sit with, in, between, and around, the day to day of the unions, policy makers, and activists who are elbow deep in the equity muck. And this is my deepest privilege.
I can do this work because I have the job I hold. I can do this work because my job gives me the time, resource and energy to be an activist academic. I fear for the future of academic freedom, integrity and research in Aus. What happens in the next year will be consequential.
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