Abstract
In this article, we are interested in the concept of austerity as a lens to examine contemporary academic work in the research-intensive university sector. This account is important and timely because austerity directly impacts on what is possible in academic work, and what subjects have a place in the university. It is a value that has become normalised in society, and it is now a management tool to control university operations. Austerity is used to justify change, while it appears to alter how managers think and work. Its effects are not felt evenly across the academy, with winners and losers in the austerity stakes. It is inevitably anti-intellectual and negatively affects academic culture and subject diversity, and so the university erodes its own core mission. We propose that to serve the broad needs of society the university needs to prioritise re-investing in academics, research and teaching. This change will not happen without action from a fully unified academic community. Here, we draw on recent experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand to start a critical conversation about austerity in the university.