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'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 0000-0002-6440-5184), Mathilde Cecchini (ORCID 0000-0003-3946-9116)
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
FullText Text:
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: 'Without Him, I Probably Wouldn't Be Here at All' -- The Micro-Politics of Early-Career Sponsorship in Higher Education
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ea+Høg+Utoft%22">Ea Høg Utoft</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6440-5184">0000-0002-6440-5184</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mathilde+Cecchini%22">Mathilde Cecchini</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3946-9116">0000-0003-3946-9116</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22European+Journal+of+Higher+Education%22"><i>European Journal of Higher Education</i></searchLink>. 2024 14(1):165-183.
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  Data: 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
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  Data: 19
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Denmark%22">Denmark</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/21568235.2022.2142147
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  Data: 2156-8235<br />2156-8243
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  Data: 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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  Data: EJ1411830
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