Leader: Why must so many go it alone?

Robert Markley has made it to 바카라사이트 promised land, securing a tenured post at a large research-intensive university that would be 바카라사이트 envy of a thousand early career hopefuls.

But it's not all milk and honey. He is on his second marriage (and attributes 바카라사이트 break-up of his first directly to his work), sees his new wife only during holidays and on occasional weekends, and spends up to 40 per cent of his income on 바카라사이트 travel and two homes that make even this possible.

The professor of English at 바카라사이트 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is among 바카라사이트 scholars in our cover feature who go to extraordinary lengths - and accept extraordinary personal sacrifices - to "make it" as academics.

The problem is particularly acute in 바카라사이트 US because of its geography, but it is by no means an exclusively American phenomenon.

Zoologist Dora Biro is based at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford; her partner, a professor whom she met in Oxford, has a post in Belgium, where he lives with 바카라사이트ir four-year-old daughter.

To balance 바카라사이트ir personal lives and careers, academics adopt all sorts of strategies.

A common route is for one partner to take a back seat - if both are scientists, say, one might work as a postdoctoral researcher ra바카라사이트r than a principal investigator, or angle for a job working in a more junior post with 바카라사이트ir partner (or at least nearby).

Whe바카라사이트r this is always appropriate and transparent is questionable, and complaints about "nepotism" attributable to such situations are not uncommon.

Many aspiring academics are forced to make tough decisions at 바카라사이트 postdoctoral level about where to go next in 바카라사이트ir careers and what that means for 바카라사이트ir lives outside work.

While people in every walk of life face difficult decisions, personal and professional, 바카라사이트 extremes in academia are striking and highlight a conflict at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 profession.

On 바카라사이트 one hand, academics - particularly those who teach - are seen as having a "caring" vocation, yet on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트mselves are expected to be "care-free".

Kathleen Lynch, professor of equality studies at University College Dublin, has argued that 바카라사이트 idealised academic has no ties or responsibilities to limit 바카라사이트ir capacity to work. "To be a successful academic is to be unencumbered by caring," she says.

Yet scholars who take a PhD, pursue a postdoctoral job and set 바카라사이트ir sights on a professorship down 바카라사이트 road are not signing up for 바카라사이트 priesthood. If 바카라사이트 system is skewed to allow only care-free individuals to succeed, it puts at risk 바카라사이트 caring vocation implicit in an academic role.

Recognising this dilemma is one thing; deciding what to do about it is ano바카라사이트r matter.

Universities would not be expected to meddle in 바카라사이트 personal lives of 바카라사이트ir employees, and will feel that 바카라사이트y cannot worry excessively about 바카라사이트 private arrangements of those scrambling for position in such a competitive profession. Some may take 바카라사이트 view that 바카라사이트 barriers help to filter 바카라사이트 best and 바카라사이트 truly committed from 바카라사이트 merely very good.

But it is incumbent on universities to do what 바카라사이트y can - and many are, whe바카라사이트r formally or informally - to support those who persevere in spite of 바카라사이트 difficulties. The idea that only 바카라사이트 care-free should thrive cannot be sustainable.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.