Abstract
AbstractIn recent decades, higher education has witnessed the development of a series of policies aimed at improving its quality. To this end, accountability measures have been promoted, which are having a major impact on academics. In addition, the precariousness of work in this professional sector is contributing to emphasise its consequences. In this context, early career researchers have become a highly vulnerable group, as the pretence of wanting to be part of the academic world is becoming an increasingly challenging purpose. This systematic review of the literature aims to collect and systematise the most relevant contributions on the impact that this situation has on the professional identity of young academics. To this end, a bibliographic search was carried out in four different databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Education Resources Information Center, Google Scholar), which yielded a total of 24 articles published in international journals. The results show how the political‐economic measures that currently surround higher education are contributing to the development of a new neoliberal academic subject characterised by a professional identity unconsciously subjected to the system's requirements. This identity is characterised by a prioritisation of research over teaching, by the development of unethical research practices and by their impact on health and social and family relations. Finally, the need for more studies in this line with other approaches (longitudinal) and with more general and varied samples is emphasised.
Highlights
Commonly referred to as early career researchers (ECRs), have been a highly vulnerable figure who for quite some time have had to face a series of difficulties in the struggle to achieve a stable professional position (Castelló et al, 2015)
These new updates have led to drastic changes in their professional identity, which has had to adjust to new demands such as global mobility, contractual instability and the compatibility of this figure with other alternative jobs in the struggle for their “survival” (Macoun & Miller, 2014)
This scenario warns of a situation of great vulnerability and risk for young academics that begin their professional adventure in the academy (Webber, 1947)
Summary
Commonly referred to as early career researchers (ECRs), have been a highly vulnerable figure who for quite some time have had to face a series of difficulties in the struggle to achieve a stable professional position (Castelló et al, 2015) In recent decades, this problem has been exacerbated by political-economic issues, as well as by the demands of the new knowledge society (Cantwell, 2011). These new updates have led to drastic changes in their professional identity, which has had to adjust to new demands such as global mobility, contractual instability and the compatibility of this figure with other alternative jobs in the struggle for their “survival” (Macoun & Miller, 2014) This scenario warns of a situation of great vulnerability and risk for young academics that begin their professional adventure in the academy (Webber, 1947). The study of the impact of these political-educational spheres on novice teachers is not being sufficiently addressed (Lai & Li, 2020)
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