Social Science Contract Researchers in Higher Education: Perceptions of Craft Knowledge

What is it about?

This article explores the occupational experiences of contract researchers, working in UK universities, where there has been a trend towards the use of fixed-term and part-time contracts in higher education, driven by the need for universities and colleges to reduce labour costs. The move towards a more ‘flexible’ and cheaper workforce is largely a response to governmental resource restrictions and the need to cope with increased student numbers. Contract researchers represent a 'growing pool of expertise' (Pettigrew 1994: 48), and yet very little is known about the intricacies and complexities of their occupational lives. This articles portrays the working lives and experiences of this particular university occupational group.

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