'Without Him, I Probably Wouldn't Be Here at All' -- The Micro-Politics of Early-Career Sponsorship in Higher Education
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| Title: | 'Without Him, I Probably Wouldn't Be Here at All' -- The Micro-Politics of Early-Career Sponsorship in Higher Education |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Ea Høg Utoft (ORCID |
| Source: | European Journal of Higher Education. 2024 14(1):165-183. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 19 |
| Publication Date: | 2024 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Researchers, Novices, Career Pathways, Social Support Groups, Helping Relationship, Communities of Practice, Inclusion, Social Networks, Status, Politics of Education, Job Security, Employee Attitudes, Work Environment, Mentors, Leadership, Financial Support, Higher Education, Career Development, Interpersonal Relationship |
| Geographic Terms: | Denmark |
| DOI: | 10.1080/21568235.2022.2142147 |
| ISSN: | 2156-8235 2156-8243 |
| Abstract: | The literature on the lived experiences of early-career researchers (ECRs) has not fully leveraged the analytical potential of the concepts of 'sponsorship' and 'gatekeeping' when examining the importance of senior scholars in their work lives. This article conceptualises the micro-politics of seniors' sponsorship of ECRs based on 19 semi-structured interviews and two focus groups at a Danish university. Sponsorship can take the forms of co-authoring, creating network contacts, or securing funding. The micro-politics of sponsorship enable seniors to mobilise opportunities for juniors, often at the 'backstage' of academia. Sponsorship strengthens the interviewees' feelings of job-related security, but not all ECRs are sponsored. According to the interviewees, sponsorship relationships develop for academic reasons, such as shared research interests, but are also a matter of luck, personal chemistry, and 'homophily', leading to subtle processes of inclusion and exclusion in academia. Regardless, sponsorship is widely considered a taken-for-granted, legitimised practice. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2024 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1411830 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The literature on the lived experiences of early-career researchers (ECRs) has not fully leveraged the analytical potential of the concepts of 'sponsorship' and 'gatekeeping' when examining the importance of senior scholars in their work lives. This article conceptualises the micro-politics of seniors' sponsorship of ECRs based on 19 semi-structured interviews and two focus groups at a Danish university. Sponsorship can take the forms of co-authoring, creating network contacts, or securing funding. The micro-politics of sponsorship enable seniors to mobilise opportunities for juniors, often at the 'backstage' of academia. Sponsorship strengthens the interviewees' feelings of job-related security, but not all ECRs are sponsored. According to the interviewees, sponsorship relationships develop for academic reasons, such as shared research interests, but are also a matter of luck, personal chemistry, and 'homophily', leading to subtle processes of inclusion and exclusion in academia. Regardless, sponsorship is widely considered a taken-for-granted, legitimised practice. |
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| ISSN: | 2156-8235 2156-8243 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/21568235.2022.2142147 |
