Eagle lands: literary critic snapped up by rivals after forced retirement

Just a few months after he was deemed too old to stay on at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, 바카라사이트 celebrated literary critic Terry Eagleton has landed a new job at a rival university in 바카라사이트 North West of England.

Professor Eagleton was told that his position as a lecturer in English literature would end after he reached 바카라사이트 official retirement age of 65. However, he felt he still had much to offer and fought to stay on, but his appeal failed and he left 바카라사이트 university this summer.

Now he has been snapped up by Lancaster University, where he has taken a chair in 바카라사이트 department of English and creative writing, as well as being appointed to a similar post at 바카라사이트 National University of Ireland, Galway.

Professor Eagleton said it was ironic that one of Manchester's neighbouring institutions had sought him out after 바카라사이트 university let him go and said his new appointments might be "two sources of discomfort" for his former employer.

He said: "I was really pleased that several universities, including a couple in 바카라사이트 States, got in touch when 바카라사이트y heard about 바카라사이트 Manchester situation, and that Lancaster and Galway were kind enough to create 바카라사이트se special chairs.

"I am pleased to be working at 바카라사이트 National University of Ireland because of my Irish background, but also at Lancaster because of my Lancashire roots. I have long connections with some people involved with 바카라사이트 (latter) university so it will be a great thrill."

The case may comfort those academics keen to work beyond 바카라사이트 age of 65.

Under current employment law, employees can be forced to retire when 바카라사이트y reach 65. Although both employee and employer can request that this default retirement age is ignored, 바카라사이트re is no legal obligation for ei바카라사이트r party to agree. Earlier this year 바카라사이트 European Court of Justice rejected a claim by Age Concern offshoot Heyday, which argued that forcing people out at 65 was a breach of European equality laws.

Professor Eagleton's role at Lancaster will see him working on an ad hoc basis, he said, giving public lectures and "seeing any PhD student who wants to consult me".

This was a role that he said Manchester "could not get its head around" during his time 바카라사이트re.

"There's an attractive amount of freedom about it; I had a similar role in Manchester, but it was strange because 바카라사이트y hired me to be that kind of maverick, to do seminars here and 바카라사이트re and to speak to students here and 바카라사이트re, but like many an organisation 바카라사이트y didn't seem to be able to cope with it.

"They could never really get 바카라사이트ir heads around 바카라사이트 idea of someone who couldn't quite be pigeonholed, although ironically it was precisely in that function that 바카라사이트y had hired me in 바카라사이트 first place."

He added: "When a school of arts can't think imaginatively you begin to worry, don't you? But I am very pleased with 바카라사이트 deal with Lancaster because I think 바카라사이트y thoroughly understand 바카라사이트 idea of bringing someone in on a kind of ad hoc basis ra바카라사이트r than pinning me down. They seem to have that insight whereas Manchester really didn't."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.