Generational change in the Argentine academic profession through the analysis of ?life courses?.

MARQUINA, MÓNICA; YUNI, JOSÉ; FERREIRO, MARIELA

Studies in HIgher Education

Taylor & Francis

Año: 2015 vol. 40 p. 1392 - 1405

0307-5079

The aim of this article is to analyze the performativeeffects of the socio-political processes on the academic profession inArgentina from the lifecourse perspective (Slavey & Watson, 2003; Shaw, 2005; Keep & Brown, 2005).  The analysis of differences in theindividuals? lifecourses was made by dividing them into three groups,representing different generations of academics, which correspond with keyhistorical periods of our country. Our hypothesis states that each generationalgroup has delineated its lifecourse under the performative conditions ofuniversity policies during different socio-political moments, building networksof relationships and life paths through elections in the context ofopportunities and obligations imposed by history and social circumstances. Thearticle bases on research data provided by two field works: The CAP study(based on a structured questionnaire answered by a probabilistic sampling ofArgentine university professors in activity) and a qualitative study based oneighty in-depth interviews to academics on key topics that emerged from CAPstudy.