Page 28 - Through the gate of the neoliberal academy • Herschberg

26 CHAPTER 1
rights to the institute’s data steward, thus making sure that my data is managed for the long term, even when I leave university. I saved my data on the work group folder FM-IMR-garcia_project.
1.3. Research questions and outline of the dissertation
In order to answer my main research question, How are inequalities (re)produced in the recruitment and selection of early-career researchers?, I conducted four studies that make up the next four chapters of this dissertation. Table 1.2 gives an overview of the chapters and of the outlets where they have been published and presented.
Chapter 2
In chapter 2, “Precarious postdocs: A study on recruitment and selection of early- career researchers”, I focus on postdoctoral researchers whose position originated from external research grants acquired by principal investigators. The research question addressed is: How is the recruitment for project-based postdoc positions organised and how do principal investigators construct the ‘ideal’ postdoc in four universities across Europe? To answer this question, I conducted a qualitative comparative multiple-case study in SSH and STEM departments of universities in Switzerland, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. This chapter contributes to the literature on academic staff evaluation in the neoliberal university, extending to the recruitment and selection of postdocs instead of senior academics.
Chapter 3
In chapter 3, “Selecting early-career researchers: The influence of discourses of internationalisation and excellence on formal and applied selection criteria in academia”, tenure-track assistant professor positions in a Natural Sciences (STEM) and Social Sciences (SSH) department the Netherlands are considered. This chapter answers the following research question: How are academic selection criteria constructed at the meso- and micro-level in the context of macro-discourses of internationalisation and excellence? This study draws on qualitative multi-level data that comprise institutional-level policies, recruitment and staff protocols, job postings and individual-level interviews and focus groups with selection committee members in the Netherlands. This chapter contributes to the literature on academic staff evaluation by uncovering four inequalities that emerge in the application of criteria and reflecting on disciplinary differences between STEM and SSH.