Precarity and Exploitation in Academia: A Critical Study of Ad-hoc Faculty in Shridhar's story "Diva Bale"

Abstract

The paper examines the precarity and exploitation of temporary faculty members in the institutions of higher learning. It investigates how ad-hoc teachers are systematically exploited and victimized in academic world. This study seeks to address pertinent questions: Are the academics generally interested in teaching? What is plight of temporary faculty in academia? What type of treatment is meted out to them in higher education institutions? In what ways are they exploited in colleges? To explore these questions, Shridhar’s short story “Diva Bale” has been selected for critical analysis. The analysis of the story is based on close critical reading of the text to decipher its embedded meanings. The study reveals that temporary faculty members are subjected to ill-treatment by both the management and permanent faculty. It shows how they live in constant anxiety of losing their temporary jobs, which negatively effects their professional and personal lives.