Is Digital Humanities Adjuncting

Infrastructurally Significant?

Prof. Kathi Inman Berens

Portland State University

@kathiiberens

This presentation:

https://tinyurl.com/kathi-dh2018

Context

“Adjunctification”

M.L.A. Job Info List: 2017 = Lowest Ever

Source:

Modern Languages Association, “Number of Jobs Advertised in the Job Information List.” (2017)

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Source:

U.C. Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education, April 2015.

Methodology & Rationale

Methodology

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• Informal interviews with every DH adjunct I could find since 2016.
• Scoured conf hashtags, plus Twitter & FB feeds of DHers I know.
• Adjunct DH = usually, teaching general ed courses using DH methods i.e., critical engagement with/using digital tools. “Making stuff.”
• Although I began with a set of questions, adjunct working conditions are heterogeneous. They had in common only the most basic descriptors (e.g., part-time work, no access to governance, non-renewable contracts).
• 7 interviews with North Americans; incidental conversations with many others I met.

My Background

NTT 2000-2009 at an R-1 in non-DH, teaching-only, 3 yr renewable contract

DH Adjunct 2011-2014 at the same R-1 in different unit, an R-2 (teaching univ.) and a small, regional liberal arts college.

U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Norway (Digital Culture)

TT 2015-present at R-2 teaching DH & Book Publishing

Why did I do this project?

• Ethical obligation to make visible the particular conditions of adjunct DH.
• “Lone Wolf” syndrome (c.f. Elena Pierazzo DHSI 2017 keynote).
• Perception of DH as “hot” market immune to adjunctification.
• As more colleges & unis add “DH” to their course catalogs, DH will be taught at institutions that rely predominantly on adjunct labor.
• Production of more DH Ph.D.s increases labor pool → adjuncts
• Energize senior DH faculty to offer low-effort, high-impact help
• See “Microbenefactions” below.

Who are the DH adjuncts I interviewed?

• Post-docs whose contracts expired
• Precariously employed established faculty who began teaching with digital tools
• These DH adjuncts are older, so ineligible for “early career” recognition or bursaries.
• Recent M.A. graduate
• Ph.D. candidates whose support ran out

Adjunct Invisibility

What Causes DH Adjunct Invisibility?

• Teaching assignment = non-DH GE classes
• Use of DH pedagogy infrastructurally invisible b/c a “one off,” not integrated into course catalog.
• Whether adjuncts can teach using DH methods is contingent on
• Do DH methods facilitate general education course learning objectives?
• Does the hiring department offer access to computers?
• Is the adjunct is rehired by the institution?

More Causes of DH Adjunct Invisibility

• Cut off from faculty list-servs & other sources of information -- I can’t emphasize enough how impactful this is.
• Internal grant & other work opportunities are thus inaccessible.
• No travel money means almost all conference participation is via hashtag
• Imposter Syndrome
• Shame
• Am I “really” DH?

DH Adjunct Work Arounds

• If no access to computers, then “cell phone pedagogy.” (Technique used by adjunct teaching in a community college.)
• “Micro” DH (c.f. Risam, Gil) “at small scale.”
• C.f. GO:DH.
• Google suite, NYPL, other free tools & collections
• Problem = all work is public --> FERPA concerns
• Adjuncts must then teach also anonymity, protecting one’s OL identity, etc.

AWARDS make adjuncts visible

I propose that ADHO (ACH?) create an annual Adjunct-specific Award to recognize DH excellence.

Why?

James English, The Economy of Prestige: “the key indicator of any contemporary cultural phenomenon entering the mainstream is the creation of a prize” (2).

Adjuncting is now the higher education mainstream.

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One DH Conf. bursary for an adjunct?

ADHO generously rewards conference bursaries to “early career” scholars younger than age 35. This year at the fiesta, 20 early career scholars were awarded.

Some adjuncts I interviewed were too old to qualify for the “early career” support.

Organizations like the Digital Library Federation and Modern Languages Association offer support that’s not exclusively focused on young scholars.

How can adjuncts do prize-worthy work?

“M I C R O B E N E F A C T I O N S”

• Term I invented to indicate: small effort, big impact
• Senior or TT faculty offer adjuncts access to meaningful collaboration
• Such work creates conditions where adjunct can
• Become visible
• Grow specific, unique skill set
• Boost confidence: you are more than your paid job

“Microbenefactions”

“Microbenefaction” defined

Microbenefaction = small action by a TT faculty that has a BIG impact on adjunct work, life.

Microbenefaction is impact-neutral for TT faculty member.

Microbenefaction is not Herculean effort. It’s small, do-able, a one-off.

And therefore, more likely to be done.

Sample Microbenefactions

• Give adjunct access to information
• Write funding for adjunct salary into grant proposals
• Review adjunct’s C.V.
• Don't eliminate adjunct application when deciding awards and honors
• Invite adjunct to meetings
• Write letters of recommendation supporting the adjunct's full-time job prospects.
• Aid adjunct in finding paid extra work at uni or in dept.
• Ask adjunct’s advice, e.g. about student-centered pedagogy

Slightly bigger Microbenefactions

• Pay adjunct for time spent learning mandatory CMS software
• CMSs take a lot of time to master when you’re working at more than one institution.
• CMS variability institution to institution means an adjunct can’t port class shells
• Pay to license adjunct-authored course materials when the adjunct leaves the institution.
• Co-author or collaborate with adjunct

Microbenefaction Case Study

Problem: Adjunct leaving; ebook production course is in jeopardy.

Solution: License adjunct’s excellent course materials.

How-To:

• I sought input, structured the purchase transaction & did leg work
• Senior scholar was the powerful advocate nudging transaction through various stages of review.
• Senior scholar spent probably ~3 hours over 6 months

Result: adjunct got paid, students & book publishing program retain core competency.

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Conclusions

• Only when DH adjuncts are visible will we be able to measure true scope of “part-time” employment in our field.
• Adjunct-specific DH Award will incentivize adjuncts to self-identify & offer tangible career boost.
• At least one bursary to DH conference should be made to adjunct scholars older than the young, “early career” scholars.
• “Microbenefactions” require little effort from senior scholars and can make a big impact on adjunct career and wellbeing.
• DH adjuncting might increase as the field produces more Ph.D.s
• Creating infrastructure to support DH adjuncts benefits adjuncts & field.