As a member of Generation X, I was until recently somewhat relieved that the Baby Boomers have been unwilling to make room at the top for my academic cohort.
The Boomers were kind enough to take care of many tasks - running journals, managing global organizations, & holding leadership positions in academic organizations.
When one of my group pops up & asks, when will we get a chance to lead?
Baby Boomers have often been swift to respond - that's ageism - leadership is merit driven - we've earned our spot!
I was ok to watch & learn - knowing full well - that while members of the Silent Generation founded my academic discipline, that Baby Boomers embraced the study technology & its implications for people, organizations, & society.
However, lately, I've become more impatient - I've wondered when will my academic cohort be allowed to lead & shape the discourse of my field.
As I've watched Baby Boomers start to retire from their jobs, they've opted to stay engaged with our professional association & our journals- working behind the scenes & sometimes on the front stage - to frame our scholarly discourse.
While I welcome their engagement, I'm particularly troubled when I see retirees pop up on panels or giving talks about how to navigate contemporary academic life or the path to publication.
Why? Because while Baby Boomer faculty were busy running the show, the fundamentals of academic life changed for the next generations.
I am familiar with one retired academic who has quite publicly & vocally condemned contemporary academics for not doing what he deems relevant research. He misses that the definition of what is relevant & how we conduct relevant research has changed since his heyday.
I am familiar with another retired academic who has quite publicly fought the fights of 1970s feminism. What she misses is that the fight for social justice in academe now extends beyond gender to historically disadvantaged people, defined by the intersectionality & geographic location.
I am familiar with a third academic who stoke the fires of conflict between the "American way" and the "European way," arguing that Americans are tone-deaf. What he misses is that it is a moot fight that my generation respects both "ways." Today, we need help ensuring equivalent opportunities for the brightest minds in the Global North and Global South.
There are other day-to-day issues tied to changing research, values, and budgets that privileged Baby Boomer Scholars & Retirees don't understand - because they are too far removed from the life of young faculty.
While I welcome Baby Boomers' wisdom, I wonder if it is not time for them to stop pulling strings. Gen X & Millenials are ready to lead & more intimate with the demands of the contemporary academic landscape.
We need fresh leaders & new models if we are going to sustain academe.
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