Page 66 - Through the gate of the neoliberal academy • Herschberg

64 CHAPTER 3
the criteria remain unspecified and, thus, the interpretative viability of excellence remains prominent at the meso-departmental level. This is in line with Van Note Chism (2006), who also shows that excellence is undefined in teaching excellence criteria. This leaves room for interpretation for committee members, but also makes it difficult for applicants to decide whether or not they meet the criteria.
Application of selection criteria by committee members
In this section, it is illustrated how the macro-discourses and meso-level criteria cascade to the micro-level of committee members who have been involved in selection procedures for tenure-track assistant professor positions in the two departments. It is shown how they consent, comply with, or resist the criteria shaped by discourses of internationalisation and excellence. Also, it is shown how inequalities are produced in the application of selection criteria. The findings are illustrated with quotes from the interviews and focus groups. The respondent’s department (STEM or SSH), interview number, and sex (F for female and M for male) are provided.
Internationalisation
Natural sciences. Most interview respondents in the Natural Sciences
department uphold the macro-discourse of internationalisation and its relation to quality. When committee members speak about the criteria they apply in the selection of tenure-track assistant professors, most of them argue international postdoc experience is a decisive criterion for them. The analysis shows that most respondents consent with the formal criteria documented by the university and the department; however, one focus group respondent challenged the criterion.
Respondent A: Indeed, you look at what a person has done before, mainly as a postdoc. A couple of years of postdoc experience. And we have a very international field. [...] So, you also look at international experience. You do not want someone who, let’s say, got stuck in one place for the entire period from bachelor, master, PhD and then postdoc. Yes, you just learn more when you work in different places, in our field.
Respondent D: And a foreign country is essential?
Respondent A: Yes. [...]
Respondent D: It is almost not possible to only in the Netherlands?
Respondent A: It is strongly discouraged. I’ve actually done it [staying in the Netherlands after my PhD] myself. (STEM, focus group)