Burning (Out) For Academia
In-Person Event Registration
(With limited seating, this event warmly welcomes only CNM staff and students. We appreciate your understanding and support!)
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Speaker
Dr. Thomas Hanitzsch, Professor of Communication, Department of Media and Communication, LMU Munich
Dr. Thomas Hanitzsch is Professor of Communication in the Department of Media and Communication at LMU Munich, Germany. A former journalist, his teaching and research focuses on global journalism cultures, the transformation of journalism, and comparative methodology. He is a Fellow and current President-Elect of the International Communication Association. Among his most recent books are “Worlds of Journalism” (Columbia University Press, 2019), and the “Handbook of Journalism Studies” (2nd. Ed., Routledge, 2019).
Abstract
The talk focuses on the mental health situation of academics working in the field of media and communication studies. Results from an international survey of 1028 researchers point to a significantly higher prevalence of mental health issues among media and communication scholars as compared to the general population. This is true for psychological distress as well as for specific mental-health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and burnout. Early career researchers, women, and those in non-permanent positions were significantly more strongly affected by mental health issues than scholars in later career stages, men, and those in permanent employment. Academics in our field worry most about structural aspects of their work, most notably about publication pressure and future career prospects. The study proves the need for a continued conversation about how to reduce the mental burden, especially for young and early career researchers.
