Sessional academics and the doorman fallacy: how a title disguises the complex work of higher education’s precarious employees

Research has shown that sessional and precariously employed academics are the armies that many faculties rely upon to stay in operation. However, the roles these temporarily employed academics play are often misunderstood. This paper uses Sutherland’s doorman fallacy to understand the discrepancies between what sessional academics are presumed to be doing, and thus how they are treated, compared with the growing complexity and significance of the work they are completing. The work explores how the connotations of sessional academics remains that they are filling minor gaps in staffing, when in reality, they are completing teaching, administrative, and research duties that allow many faculties to operate with fewer permanent staff. While researchers note the growing career and life consequences of people trapped in long-term sessional employment, this paper highlights why these exploitative practices have amplified, and adds to the arguments for why the practice of precarious employment must be re-evaluated.