Reconstructing Identities in Higher Education: The rise of 'Third Space' professionals

by Whitchurch; Celia

• ISBN13: 9780415564663
• ISBN10: 0415564662
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781136226373
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-11-30
• Publisher: Routledge
• More Book Details

Summary

The professional workforce in higher education is diversifying. Alongside increased functional specialisation to meet, for instance, legislative and market requirements, has been the emergence of more project-oriented individuals who are crossing boundaries to create new forms of practice, working in partnership with academic colleagues in multi-functional teams. This has created a #xE2;#xAC;#xDC;twin dynamic#xE2;#xAC;" of both increased specialisation and greater fluidity of professional identity, which institutions and individuals seek to manage in ways that are optimal for them. This book explores the implications of these changes and the complexities that they engender for both institutions and individuals, in relation to, for instance, the management and leadership of teams, career paths and professional development, and new forms of language that transcend traditional understandings of "professionalism", "administration" and "management". Drawing on a study conducted in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States, the book offers the first comprehensive account of professional staff in higher education not categorised as #xE2;#xAC;#xDC;academic#xE2;#xAC;", but who, through their expertise in areas such as student life, business partnership, and professional practice, make an increasingly significant contribution to institutional futures. It: Demonstrates how professional staff have not only diversified as a grouping, but have also become increasingly active in interpreting and developing their roles. Illustrates this process by describing four categories of bounded, cross-boundary, unbounded and blended professionals, and the professional spaces, knowledges, relationships and legitimacies associated with these groupings. Argues that although bounded professionals, who represent an "ideal" type of professional continue to be required by institutions for #xE2;#xAC;#xDC;guardianship#xE2;#xAC;" roles such as ensuring legislative and audit requirements, less bounded forms of professional will become increasingly critical to institutional capacity building and development. Introduces the concept of third space as an emergent territory between academic and professional spheres of activity, in which mixed teams work on broadly based, extended projects and considers the implications of these developments, for institutions and for individuals. Suggesting that third space working may be indicative of future trends in professional identities, so that new forms of third space professional are likely to continue to emerge, the book will be of prime interest to senior institutional managers and members of their senior management teams; second tier professional managers such as directors of human resources; and academic managers such as deans and heads of department, professional staff at all levels in generalist, specialist and #xE2;#xAC;#xDC;niche#xE2;#xAC;" roles and academic researchers in higher education.