'Enough to make you sick!' Pathological Characteristics of the Australian Academic Workplace (original) (raw)

Drawing on the authors’ experiences in the Australian academic workplace as well as relevant recent scholarship and public commentary, this paper presents a broad overview and discussion of some of the institutional and cultural characteristics of the working environment typical of contemporary Australian universities that make them prone to unhealthy levels of workplace stress and mental injury. The paper argues that if we are to resolve the contradiction between the privileged financial and regulatory status universities continue to enjoy and the corrosion of their putative commitments to the pursuit of truth and free inquiry, a new generation of university leaders will be required to commit their institutions to being open, publicly accountable and democratic in their organisation and goals.