Exited
Terminated from Higher Education
Published on 22. September 2025
Book
Hardback
248 pages
978-1-83797-724-6 (ISBN)
Description
Exited: Terminated from Higher Education considers the experiences of academic workers who find themselves abruptly expelled, terminated or exited from their contracts and workplaces. This is an increasingly common occurrence for academic workers with middle or senior management roles, and one that needs exposure and discussion. While there is extensive coverage of the precarity of early-career, teaching and research staff, the experience of longer-tenured staff is less explored.
This collection of papers and anonymised case studies highlights the lived experience of individuals who have been 'exited' from their roles. Academic chapters explore the legal and human resources practices in higher education. Case studies detail those in ascending career positions, established professionals and those nearing the end of their professional careers. Further drivers of sexism, racism and ageism are addressed. The 'exiting' phenomenon is contextualised within the broader literature on professional identity and roles in higher education, and on higher education leadership and management, providing insights into these practices, the impact on individuals and the cultures that fuel such behaviours.
This collection of papers and anonymised case studies highlights the lived experience of individuals who have been 'exited' from their roles. Academic chapters explore the legal and human resources practices in higher education. Case studies detail those in ascending career positions, established professionals and those nearing the end of their professional careers. Further drivers of sexism, racism and ageism are addressed. The 'exiting' phenomenon is contextualised within the broader literature on professional identity and roles in higher education, and on higher education leadership and management, providing insights into these practices, the impact on individuals and the cultures that fuel such behaviours.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Bingley
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 237 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
472 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-83797-724-6 (9781837977246)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Camille Kandiko Howson is an Associate Professor of Education at Imperial College London, UK. Camille is an international expert in higher education research with a focus on student engagement; student outcomes and learning gain; and quality, performance and accountability.
Christina Hughes is Founder and CEO of Women-Space Leadership Limited. Prior to this, she has held senior roles as Pro Vice Chancellor, University of Warwick; Provost, Sheffield Hallam University; Deputy Vice Chancellor (Interim) University of Kent. Christina is a Professor of Women and Gender Studies and has a national reputation in the field of access and widening participation.
Malcolm Tight is Professor of Higher Education at Lancaster University, UK, and Series Editor for International Perspectives on Higher Education Research. Malcom has a broad range of research interests in the fields of higher and post-compulsory education including changing patterns of academic work, the nature of the academic experience and the role of learning in adult life.
Christina Hughes is Founder and CEO of Women-Space Leadership Limited. Prior to this, she has held senior roles as Pro Vice Chancellor, University of Warwick; Provost, Sheffield Hallam University; Deputy Vice Chancellor (Interim) University of Kent. Christina is a Professor of Women and Gender Studies and has a national reputation in the field of access and widening participation.
Malcolm Tight is Professor of Higher Education at Lancaster University, UK, and Series Editor for International Perspectives on Higher Education Research. Malcom has a broad range of research interests in the fields of higher and post-compulsory education including changing patterns of academic work, the nature of the academic experience and the role of learning in adult life.
Content
Part 1: Introduction
Chapter 1. Introduction; Malcolm Tight, Christina Hughes, and Camille Kandiko Howson
Part 2: Mental Health and Bullying
Chapter 2. Mental Health of Staff in Higher Education; Malcolm Tight
Chapter 3. Bullying and Harassment in Academic Life; Wyn Evans
Chapter 4. The Relationship Between Incivility and Bullying: An interview; Fran Sepler and Christina Hughes
Part 3: Case Studies
Chapter 5. Revealing a Covert Narcissist: An autoethnography; Anonymous, UK
Chapter 6. Suspension of an Academic is not a Neutral Act; Anonymous, UK
Part 4: Exit Cultures
Chapter 7. When the Neoliberal University Doesn't Want You Anymore: Exit cultures in the market era of higher education; Steven Jones
Chapter 8. The Implications of an Exit Culture for Academic Career-Making; Celia Whitchurch
Part 5: Career Impacts
Chapter 9. Mid-Career Academic Culture: Competition, dead ends and burnout; Camille Kandiko Howson
Chapter 10. The Hidden Costs of Leadership: Occupational stress in middle and senior academic roles; Megan Lee, Debbie Massey, Dima Nasrawi, and Richard Lakeman
Chapter 11. Senior Professional Leaders: Toxic teams and institutional cultures; Camille Kandiko Howson and Kelly Coate
Part 6: Responses
Chapter 12. Dismissal and Redundancy: The role of educative leadership and trade union resistance; Justine Mercer
Chapter 13. Refusing to be Silenced: Feminist narratives of leaving the academy; Christina Hughes
Part 7: Conclusion
Chapter 14. Conclusion; Camille Kandiko Howson, Christina Hughes, and Malcolm Tight
Chapter 1. Introduction; Malcolm Tight, Christina Hughes, and Camille Kandiko Howson
Part 2: Mental Health and Bullying
Chapter 2. Mental Health of Staff in Higher Education; Malcolm Tight
Chapter 3. Bullying and Harassment in Academic Life; Wyn Evans
Chapter 4. The Relationship Between Incivility and Bullying: An interview; Fran Sepler and Christina Hughes
Part 3: Case Studies
Chapter 5. Revealing a Covert Narcissist: An autoethnography; Anonymous, UK
Chapter 6. Suspension of an Academic is not a Neutral Act; Anonymous, UK
Part 4: Exit Cultures
Chapter 7. When the Neoliberal University Doesn't Want You Anymore: Exit cultures in the market era of higher education; Steven Jones
Chapter 8. The Implications of an Exit Culture for Academic Career-Making; Celia Whitchurch
Part 5: Career Impacts
Chapter 9. Mid-Career Academic Culture: Competition, dead ends and burnout; Camille Kandiko Howson
Chapter 10. The Hidden Costs of Leadership: Occupational stress in middle and senior academic roles; Megan Lee, Debbie Massey, Dima Nasrawi, and Richard Lakeman
Chapter 11. Senior Professional Leaders: Toxic teams and institutional cultures; Camille Kandiko Howson and Kelly Coate
Part 6: Responses
Chapter 12. Dismissal and Redundancy: The role of educative leadership and trade union resistance; Justine Mercer
Chapter 13. Refusing to be Silenced: Feminist narratives of leaving the academy; Christina Hughes
Part 7: Conclusion
Chapter 14. Conclusion; Camille Kandiko Howson, Christina Hughes, and Malcolm Tight