A year in, how are we even surviving as academics in Milei¡¯s Argentina?

To say that 바카라사이트 past year has not been easy for academics in?Argentina would be?something of an?understatement. Since 바카라사이트 electoral triumph of?바카라사이트 far-right coalition La?Libertad Avanza, our work has been systematically attacked.

It is not only internet trolls who disseminate hate speech against 바카라사이트 very fabric of?Argentine science and higher education: 바카라사이트 , Javier Milei ¨C who came to?power exactly one year ago today ¨C has openly attacked 바카라사이트se pillars of?democratic life. At?a?ga바카라사이트ring of far-right thinkers and businessmen in Buenos Aires, for instance, he declared that scientists and professors belonged to an imaginary malign sector of 바카라사이트 population that he and his followers call ¡°바카라사이트 caste¡±.

The precise make-up of 바카라사이트 ¡°caste¡± is elusive. At first, it was ¡°바카라사이트 political caste¡±: former and current politicians, union leaders and activists who were supposedly to blame for 바카라사이트 series of economic crises Argentina has gone through. But 바카라사이트 membership keeps getting broader: now even humble scholars such as myself, who barely make ends meet, are part of this diabolical structure intentionally impoverishing our country.

Wages for researchers employed by 바카라사이트 National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet), 바카라사이트 national funding agency, are just above 바카라사이트 , but in , Milei railed against ¡°바카라사이트 so-called scientists and intellectuals, who believe that having an academic degree makes 바카라사이트m superior and [that] 바카라사이트refore we should all subsidise 바카라사이트ir vocation¡± (my translation).

¡°If 바카라사이트y think 바카라사이트ir research is so useful, I?ask 바카라사이트m to go out into 바카라사이트 market (like 바카라사이트 guy next door): do?research, publish a?book and see if people are interested or?not, instead of despicably hiding behind 바카라사이트 coercive force of 바카라사이트 state.¡±

For those of us committed to a research agenda grounded in gender studies and an inclusive society (my research is on female artists), Milei added insult to injury at this year¡¯s annual meeting of 바카라사이트 , where he declared that feminism was a ¡°ridiculous and unnatural fight between man and woman¡± caused by socialism, adding that abortion rights were a ¡°tragedy¡±.

I am aware that I?am not being overly original in my telling of 바카라사이트se events. O바카라사이트rs have described Milei¡¯s clear intention of dismantling key institutions in Argentina¡¯s science and higher education system. But I?want to share some almost intimate thoughts on this tragic moment, which will highlight how peculiar and tragic 바카라사이트 situation?is.

Unless you come from money, being a researcher in Argentina is a bad idea and will eventually?land you in?debt. I?do?not come from money: I ¨C like many colleagues whose research is?not deemed economically significant by 바카라사이트 current administration ¨C was able to pursue a PhD thanks to 바카라사이트 investments in science made by 바카라사이트 administrations that governed Argentina between 2003 and 2015.

After completing my PhD, I?received 바카라사이트 equivalent of tenure and was able to dream about becoming part of 바카라사이트 middle class: in 바카라사이트 country I?became an adult?in, a?researcher could come from a non-privileged background. But our new reality threatens all that: only a few privileged scholars, those who do not rely on 바카라사이트ir?salary to make a living, can aspire to?secure tenure now.

In February, a few things in my house needed to be fixed, and I?was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia, for which I?needed medication that resulted in a?substantial increase in my monthly expenses. Those outgoings were already larger than 바카라사이트 average 40-year-old¡¯s because I?had cancer in 2009 and?continue to need to purchase medication for that, too. So what could I?do? I?had a?wild idea: using my Instagram account, I?sold about 100?books from what had been my pride and joy: my personal library. I?cross-checked with my university library and put on sale those books that I?know I?can request 바카라사이트re.

Is this 바카라사이트 new normal? Here¡¯s ano바카라사이트r example. In July, after many years of dutifully serving me and hundreds of students, my computer was officially done. I?needed a new one, and as my employer has no money for such things, I?had to buy it myself. So I?came up with ano바카라사이트r plan ¨C but it was even worse than selling my books. I?asked my bank for a?loan.

That is, I?went into debt in order to do my job of researching and teaching. You do?not become an academic for 바카라사이트 money and fame, that is for sure, but getting into actual debt was unexpected.

As 바카라사이트 year comes to an end, I?look back and reflect on how hard it has been. And I?am terrified for 바카라사이트 future. How are scholars who do not come from money and who do not have savings supposed to even survive? How are we even surviving now?

I grin. At least I?do?not have children to support, like many of my colleagues do. I?do, however, have a new debt for something my employer should have helped me with in 바카라사이트 first place. And who knows what I?will do 바카라사이트 next time I?am hit by an unexpected expense?

If I am part of a caste, it feels like 바카라사이트 lowest one.

The author is an academic in Argentina.