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andersortenbladandersortenblad

Academic Disappointments

Academy as a workplace has many advantages, but not all is well. Now that I have worked in higher education institutions for 35 years, it is perhaps time to summarize some of my biggest disappointments.


The text is based on experiences from various higher education institutions in several different countries. Rather than focusing on specific individuals and universities, I write as if it is the culture I am disappointed with, of which I myself am a part. But there are certainly some who embrace this culture more than others. Should anyone feel particularly affected by something I write, so be it.


In the spirit of academia, I suggest further research into the disappointments. More systematic studies could shed further light on the problems identified.


1. Disappointment with a culture that prioritizes easily measurable achievements.


Rankings, accreditations, impact factors, citation numbers and publication points are what count. These types of achievements…


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Kelly Dehnert
Kelly Dehnert
Jul 30

Thanks, Anders, for the clear thoughts and challenge! In my 21 years of academia, I taught at two "teaching" colleges, meaning there was little emphasis on publishing or getting ahead of colleagues (other than competing with other college programs). However, your critique, Anders, is what I believe is fundamentally a problem of the heart (desires) and the context within which we live and breathe. I would suggest that we tend towards self-centeredness, and it takes great effort to battle this tendency to be other-serving. Therefore, we compete, respond badly to change (yet follow trends), and seek as many badges of honor as we can, no matter what lying, cheating, and stealing it takes (not literally, I hope). It is hard to go against our grain this way to serve others. Your experience with those who were humble and kind gives us hope—real work can be done when minds are brought together rather than are at battle for preeminence. It may be valuable research to determine how our self-serving motives can become other-centered and how an academic culture can be created to encourage this change. Thanks for the challenge, Anders.

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ademola.owolabiademola.owolabi
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Shabina Shaikh
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asha.bhandarkerasha.bhandarker
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Leili Sadaghiani
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andersortenbladandersortenblad

Any further ideas for conference tracks?

While Horia of course is the head of the conference, I take the liberty to suggest that we discuss if we want any further tracks (or reformulated ones) in the conference invitation? I happen to know that the invitation will be made ready to be circulated within a week or a few weeks. Of course, tracks can also evolve on the basis on what people want to present at the conference, but it could also be a good idea to at least consider which tracks we want to be put in the invitation. On basis of what has been suggested at this forum so far, it seems to me that there are three (suggested) tracks:

  • Grey leadership (strongly related to the cfp for a special issue that we re working on)

  • Deling with bad leadership: punsihment versus healing

  • Teaching (about) bad leadership Maybe we should have very brief presentations of each…

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andersortenblad
Jun 23

How about a track on "theorized self-perceived experiences of bad leadership", that is, experiences from practicing bad leadership yourself, from being led by bad leadership, or from seeing one's colleagues practicing/experiencing bad leadership?

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Daniel Pittino
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wedmonds01
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andersortenbladandersortenblad

What makes scholars do research on bad leadership?

I wonder how many percent of all scholars who do research on bad leadership that are motivated by their own experiences - what do you think? Which other reasons are there for scholars to take interest in this theme?

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Kelly Dehnert
Kelly Dehnert
Jun 11

That would be an interesting bit of study. In my experience in domestic abuse, few who are advocates and work in the area as helpers do so without some experience. It certainly motivates many to help others when they have faced it.

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