Table Of ContentBeing Well in Academia
Are you studying or working in academia and in need of
support? Perhaps you’re finding your work, study or per-
sonal life challenging or overwhelming; are experiencing
bullying, harassment or abuse; or find your progress
is being blocked by unfair, exploitative or precarious
systems? Or perhaps you want to support a friend or
colleague who’s struggling? Whether your problems are
big or small, Being Well in Academia provides a wealth
of practical and workable solutions to help you feel
stronger, safer and more connected in what has become
an increasingly competitive and stressful environment.
This volume uses a realistic, pragmatic and – above
all – understanding approach to offer support to a diverse
audience. Covering a range of issues, it includes advice
on:
• Ways to increase your support network, so you’re not
alone.
• Reflections and actions that encourage you to evaluate
your position.
• Guidance if you are in a stressful, precarious, danger-
ous or exploitative situation.
• Checklists and agreements to help you identify your
specific needs and accommodations.
• Signposting to books, websites, networks and organi-
sations that provide additional support.
• Ways to build your confidence and connections, par-
ticularly for Black, Indigenous or People of Colour;
LGBTQ+; disabled or chronically sick; or other margin-
alised groups.
• Reflections on your rights and the responsibilities
academia should be meeting.
• Tips for being an active bystander and helping others
in need of assistance.
• Ideas for resisting, challenging and coping with unfair
or exploitative environments.
• Suggestions for bringing you happiness, inspiration,
motivation, courage and hope.
This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to
address the need to stay well in academia, and will be
particularly useful to those in diverse or disadvantaged
positions who currently lack institutional support or feel
at risk from academia.
Petra Boynton is a social psychologist and Agony Aunt
who teaches and researches in International Healthcare.
She specialises in addressing the safety and wellbeing of
students and staff in academic settings.
Insider Guides to Success in
Academia
Series Editors:
Helen Kara,
Independent Researcher, UK and
Pat Thomson,
The University of Nottingham, UK
The Insider Guides to Success in Academia address
topics too small for a full-length book on their own, but
too big to cover in a single chapter or article. These topics
have often been the stuff of discussions on social media,
or of questions in our workshops. We designed this
series to answer these questions and to provide prac-
tical support for doctoral and early career researchers.
It is geared to concerns that many people experience.
Readers will find these books to be companions who
provide advice and help to make sense of everyday life in
the contemporary university.
We have therefore:
(1) Invited scholars with deep and specific expertise
to write. Our writers use their research and pro-
fessional experience to provide well-grounded
strategies to particular situations.
(2) Asked writers to collaborate. Most of the books
are produced by writers who live in different coun-
tries, or work in different disciplines, or both. While
it is difficult for any book to cover all the diverse
contexts in which potential readers live and work,
the different perspectives and contexts of writers
goes some way to address this problem.
We understand that the use of the term ‘academia’ might
be read as meaning the university, but we take a broader
view. Pat does indeed work in a university, but spent a
long time working outside of one. Helen is an independent
researcher and sometimes works with universities. Both
of us understand academic – or scholarly – work as now
being conducted in a range of sites, from museums and
the public sector to industry research and development
laboratories. Academic work is also often undertaken by
networks which bring together scholars in various loca-
tions. All of our writers understand that this is the case,
and use the term ‘academic’ in this wider sense.
These books are pocket sized so that they can be car-
ried around and visited again and again. Most of the books
have a mix of examples, stories and exercises as well as
explanation and advice. They are written in a collegial
tone, and from a position of care as well as knowledge.
Together with our writers, we hope that each book in
the series can make a positive contribution to the work
and life of readers, so that you too can become insiders
in scholarship.
Helen Kara, PhD FAcSS,
Independent researcher
https://helenkara.com
@DrHelenKara (Twitter/Insta)
Pat Thomson, PhD PSM FAcSS FRSA
Professor of Education, The University of Nottingham
https://patthomson.net
@ThomsonPat
Books in the Series:
Publishing from your Doctoral Research
Create and Use a Publication Strategy
Janet Salmons and Helen Kara
‘Making it’ as a Contract Researcher
A Pragmatic Look at Precarious Work
Nerida Spina, Jess Harris, Simon Bailey and Mhorag Goff
Being Well in Academia
Ways to Feel Stronger, Safer and More Connected
Petra Boynton
Being Well in
Academia
Ways to Feel Stronger,
Safer and More
Connected
Petra Boynton
First published 2021
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an
informa business
© 2021 Petra Boynton
The right of Petra Boynton to be identified as author of this
work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections
77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted
or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from
the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be
trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for
identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British
Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record has been requested for this book
ISBN: 978-0-367-18669-2 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-18670-8 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-19751-2 (ebk)
Typeset in Helvetica
by Swales & Willis, Exeter, Devon, UK
I’ll never be able to thank these women in person, but
they have inspired me for decades. Hopefully this book
goes a little way to honour their legacies.
Helen Boyle (1869–1957) A remarkable woman of Sussex
who changed the way we provide mental health care for
those most in need, especially poor women.
Josephine Baker (1906–1975) An incredibly brave
performer, activist, resistance agent and mother who
was never afraid to speak up, even when it cost her
dearly.
