ABSTRACT
This book chapter raises awareness for mothers living precariously in academia and encourages effective actions that promote change. How is the conjunction of work and motherhood expressed in academia? To answer the question, the author uses Bakhtin’s dialogic thinking to present the hidden, marginalised, and unofficial voice of feminism vis-à-vis the dominant voice of patriarchy. She draws on empirical material from personal talks with working mothers living precariously in academia during three management conferences taking place in Europe, between 2017 and 2018 to develop their living stories about how the academic world appears to them, and how they appear to themselves. In doing so, the overall objective of the chapter is to problematise cultural norms and work practices, to raise awareness of the marginalised voice of feminism, and to seek alternatives for a more hopeful and inclusive future for mothers living precariously in academia, while acknowledging their valid and important feelings of unsettledness.
