Choice and Constraint in Academic Work on Campus and at Home

Abstract

While new technologies increasingly enable the dislocation of a wide range of work-related activities from those spaces in which they have been traditionally performed, gender and the organisation of domestic space all bear upon academics ‘parameters of choice when contemplating where and when they might perform certain of their work-related tasks. Beyond this, job-related constraints concerning home working were found to be greatest at either end of the academic hierarchy. If many managerial staffonly worked at home ‘in their own time ‘, casual academic staff were often ‘homeworkers by default ‘, in that the nature of their working conditions on campus typically obliged them to perform much of their work at home, whatever their personal preference. In conclusion, it is argued that future discussions around academic homeworking must be conducted within the broader context of the length and intensity of the working day.