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Tenure Tensions: Out in the Enchanted Forest
Author(s) -
Tyler Jo A.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
new horizons in adult education and human resource development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1939-4225
DOI - 10.1002/nha3.10384
Subject(s) - dialectic , alienation , career path , perspective (graphical) , path (computing) , track (disk drive) , sociology , lesbian , higher education , gender studies , political science , management , epistemology , visual arts , law , art , engineering , computer science , philosophy , economics , programming language , mechanical engineering
The tenure track in higher education represents a path shrouded in a fair degree of mystery. This essay provides the perspective of a middle‐aged, second‐career tenure track faculty member on the vagaries of progressing down the track as an out lesbian. Three dialectics that build tension into the process — covering‐creating, evaluation‐liberation, and alienation‐authenticity — are discussed.