Page 51 - Through the gate of the neoliberal academy • Herschberg

for postdoc positions. A possible effect of the high amount of control of PIs over the recruitment and selection processes might be that unknown candidates are excluded from postdoc positions. Without formal procedures and colleagues joining the recruitment and selection processes, a PI’s interest can prevail over the interests of the postdocs and of science as a whole. Project-based work also makes that PIs have control over the content of the research a postdoc should undertake (Harney et al., 2014). Yet, our findings show that PIs depend on the postdocs for publications and project success, which provides postdocs with potential counter-power as they may leave during the project or may pursue an autonomous agenda.
The second manifestation of precarity concerns contracts. In the countries in our study but also in other countries, postdocs are generally hired on precarious short- term contracts, with little or no prospects for continued employment (Oliver, 2012). We found that projects require from postdoc candidates expert knowledge, availability, commitment and motivation, and autonomy, as this facilitates the successful completion of a PI’s project. The short duration of projects triggers short- term interests when it comes to postdoc recruitment and selection, not taking into account how this short-term vision affects the precarity of postdocs. Postdocs hold a peripheral position compared to core staff. When it comes to contracts, we observe some national differences, as in the Italian, Belgian and Swiss institutions, project- funded postdocs do not hold the same contractual position as academic staff on more stable positions as is the case in the Netherlands. In Italy and Belgium, postdocs are even denied employment benefits and social security, which creates a particularly precarious situation for them. Postdocs are thus expected to demonstrate loyalty and commitment to the project, but they seem to receive little or no reciprocity for their investment and dedication. Despite postdocs’ important contributions to academic knowledge production (Van der Weijden et al., 2016) they suffer from bad employment conditions and low social and job security.
The third and final manifestation of precarity pertains to careers. The neoliberalisation and projectification of academia have shifted the responsibility for career development from employers to early-career researchers. Yet, this is a responsibility that is very difficult or even impossible to bear for precarious postdocs, as the system does not provide sufficient opportunities for development and progression (Åkerlind, 2005; Horta, 2009). Given that the postdoc phase was intended as a “transitional period during which the postdoc develops independence” (Callier & Polka, 2015, p. 155), the current system does not seem to give room to do so. Our study shows that externally funded postdoc positions instigate a strong project focus and, therefore, PIs tend to select an ‘ideal’ type postdoc who is value-added to a project,
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