The Dark Side of Academia: Competition, Inequality, and Violence in the Ivory Tower

By Gayle Brewer

The Dark Side of Academia provides an insight into the prevalence, form and impact of harmful practice within academia. By combining contemporary research, practice and policy it examines the experience and impact of issues such as precarity, burnout and violence within higher education.

This key title synthesises expertise on a range of vitally important issues impacting higher education right now. Addressing the experiences of academic employees, it shines a light on the prevalent but often unspoken underbelly of academia. Structured into three main sections it focuses on key topics such as performance and competition, health, wellbeing and burnout, precarious contracts, inequality and discrimination, disability, gender and gender identity, race and ethnicity, bullying and sexual misconduct.

Each chapter includes clear recommendations for policy and practice and is essential reading for all those working in higher education, but particularly those in positions of power. This book is designed to encourage greater attention to the experiences of all staff employed in the sector and to provide implementable strategies to provide better support for all academics.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 103263930X
• ISBN13: 9781032639307
• Release Date: April 2026
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 192 Pages