On the role of collegiality, civility and collectivism in shaping academic identity

ABSTRACT

This paper considers how the values of industrial relations scholars affect their academic identity. The specific values considered are collegiality, civility and collectivism. The meaning of these values in academia is reviewed, along with some of their inherent contradictions and the challenges posed by their implementation in contemporary academic working life. The paper concludes with suggestions about how a scholarly association can help support and strengthen academic values, and a call for scholars to reflect on what makes academic life rewarding and how to retain it.

KEYWORDS:

• Academic identity
• higher education
• scholarly associations
• university governance
• academic values

Acknowledgement

Thank you to Evelyn Mueller, Mark Bray and Malcolm Rimmer for your help.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. This paper is an edited version of the Presidential Address to the 30th Conference of the Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand (AIRAANZ), held in Sydney 10–12 February 2016.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Johanna Macneil

Johanna Macneil is a member of the Employment Relations/HRM Discipline at The University of Newcastle. From February 2015 to February 2016 she was President of the Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand (AIRAANZ).