ABSTRACT
Disasters and emergencies are used by capitalist universities to ensure rapid changes in technology and working practices. The COVID-19 pandemic led to an accelerated shift to online teaching and learning, and the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) mediated, and virtual, platforms to deliver ‘product’. This is an example of ‘disaster capitalism’ whereby efficiencies can be created, and profits maximised, for not only universities but also for the providers of these digital platforms. In virtual realms, time becomes increasingly ‘dense’ with more production, circulation, and valorisation activities taking place in each minute and, within a framework of capitalist time, this has existential implications for the lives of academic workers. Working hours are not just contested between academics and managers, but time itself in universities is increasingly capitalist and capitalised. There was never any pre-pandemic ‘normal time’ in universities and talk of a ‘new normal’ post-pandemic (perhaps facilitated by AI) has no stable point of reference.
