STRESS IN ACADEMIC LIFE (Society for Research into Higher Education) - Tapa blanda

"This book is a timely reminder that unreasonable and changeable demands on the new generation of academic staff will create levels of stress which are not conducive to productive activity." - AUT Bulletin "Shirley Fisher's admirable book provides a readable and informative account of the current state ofplay, drawing upon a wide selection of writings in this area and someof her own research...This is certainly an important book on an increasingly important topic and deserves to be widely read." -Higher Education "It sets the groundwork for whatis now urgently needed - a substantial debate about higher education and its governance. The book ought to be required reading not only forDeans and Vice-Chancellors but for Ministers." - Industrial Relations Journal "Stress in Academic Life is areadable and informative study of stress within the university...would recommend that academic departments acquire a copy. - British Journal of Occupational Therapy "Shirley Fisher's book is a useful addition toany psychologist's bookshelf...Anybody who wishes to be better informed on stress in higher education will find it a most interesting and informative source book. Strongly recommended forstudents and academicsalike, as well as for counsellors and other professionals working in the field of stress management." - Psychology Teaching Review

Academic life is becoming increasingly stressful. Academics are suffering from increased government control and monitoring; from financial cuts and work overload; and from the difficult balancing act between teaching, research and administration roles. They experience the everyday stresses of doing a creative job within an increasingly uncreative environment; of both developing relationship with students and assessing their performance; of seeking promotion or settling for non-promotion as opportunities for advancement have become more limited; and of maintaining self-esteem as their status in the community appears to decline. At the same time, they are aware of the increasing stress suffered by students: their fear of failure, financial pressures, homesickness, impending examinations, uncertain prospects and their balancing of academic and social lives. In this work, Shirley Fisher provides an overview of the effects of stress on performance, daily efficiency and health, and reports the results on stress in academic environments (for both staff and students). She explores the origins and nature of academic stress, personal vulnerabilities and coping mechanisms and proposes ways in which individuals can be helped, emphasizing how working conditions and practices must be changed in order to reduce stress in academic life.