Should academic success be redefined amidst the climate and environmental crisis? A dialogue between five UK geographers

Abstract

The academic geographical community is well acquainted with the reality of the current climate and environmental crisis. As such, geographers, higher education institutions and geographical organisations arguably should take a greater lead in responding to this crisis. This raises concerns about how such responses fit into academics' ‘core’ job activities, especially given concern about escalating workloads. What mix of activities could or should constitute academic success? This article is based on a dialogue between five UK-based academic geographers spanning different academic career stages. Drawing on our personal and professional experiences, both in the United Kingdom and overseas, we present an edited version of an online dialogue that addresses three questions: (1) How do we define academic success in the context of the climate and environmental crisis? (2) Given the routine and, in some cases, escalating demands of our jobs, do we feel that we have the capacity to address whatever the appropriate measures of success may be? (3) Do we feel that the measures of success are appropriately valued by our colleagues and by modern university management procedures? Our collective reflections on the key points extracted from the dialogue will likely have resonance beyond the United Kingdom (and university) context. These points include: adjusting and adapting how we portray academic success for different audiences; contemplating broader definitions of academic success; considering where public engagement sits within the portfolio of academic responsibilities; deciding how to respond to multiple pressures; choosing how to prioritise different academic demands; and asking whether work to tackle the climate and environmental crisis is adequately valued. We provide some practical suggestions for redefining academic success that require consideration by the academic geographical community. Wider discussion and implementation should contribute to enhancing job satisfaction and career progression for individual geographers and strengthen academic geography as a discipline.