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[This Sux]

I am not British but I did my doctoral work there and also worked as a post-doc there before going to the US to be closer to family and friends.

I thought that I would be entering an academic environemnt that would afford me more research funding than was available to me and better networking opportunties in my field for collaborative work.

Boy, was I wrong. In retrospect, I was myopically naive.

I have to say I hate it here.

Not even at Oxford did I see the type of snobbery that is alive and well in the 'land of the free'. Really makes you stand up and take notice of the underlying race and class dynamics that make it quite difficult for even academics to work in.

Not to mention the fact that most people I have encountered are scary robot types who beleive that 'work' consists of being in the office from 9 to 5--what they do in the office is another story. Are they surfing the web? Are they making long distance phone calls? No one knows.

Working from home is a concept that is scorned at even if you are twice as productive. Junior faculty means that you are basically a punch bag and errand buy or gal for senior old farts/fartettes.

I now realise why my colleagues back in t he UK 'feared for my sanity' and am wondering what to do.

I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experiences that they could share.

[.]

There's loads of jobs going in the UK due to the RAE. Return. Its miles better this side.

[sidey]

.. wrote:

> There's loads of jobs going in the UK due to the RAE. Return.
> Its miles better this side.

Not at the junior level it's not.  At lest not when you compare like for like - the good UK places are equiv. to R1s in the US, so you can't compare them to experiences in less prestigious institutions in the US.

[f-ette]

it is good and refreshing to see the word 'fartette' in this forum. And yes, America dos suck. I presume you're in the Midwest or South?

[jauburn]

I am not British but I did my doctoral work there and also worked as a post-doc there before going to the US to be closer to family and friends.

I thought that I would be entering an academic environemnt that would afford me more research funding than was available to me and better networking opportunties in my field for collaborative work.

Boy, was I wrong. In retrospect, I was myopically naive.

I have to say I hate it here.

Not even at Oxford did I see the type of snobbery that is alive and well in the 'land of the free'. Really makes you stand up and take notice of the underlying race and class dynamics that make it quite difficult for even academics to work in.

Not to mention the fact that most people I have encountered are scary robot types who beleive that 'work' consists of being in the office from 9 to 5--what they do in the office is another story. Are they surfing the web? Are they making long distance phone calls? No one knows.

Working from home is a concept that is scorned at even if you are twice as productive. Junior faculty means that you are basically a punch bag and errand buy or gal for senior old farts/fartettes.

I now realise why my colleagues back in t he UK 'feared for my sanity' and am wondering what to do.

I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experiences that they could share.

I have worked in U.S. universities and in European universities. I have to say that I agree with you, largely. Americans manage to take what should be an ideal work situation and turn it into something akin to drudgery. Why that is I'm not sure. I have some pet theories. Could have to do with an underlying feeling of "guilt" about not being in the "real" world and having to live down to the dreadful working conditions that most Americans face. It most likely has something to do with "proving oneself," for whatever reason.

Quite sad, really. But then again, most of America is quite sad, behind the hype.

What's doubly sad is when you find a situation in Europe or elsewhere in which a majority of the faculty is from the U.S. The same conditions tend to prevail. By all means, when abroad, seek to work in a mixed environment, where Americans do not get the opportunity to be too American.

[busyslinky]

I've been overseas and in the U.S.  I love it in the U.S.  Sorry about your bad experiences, but mine have been very good.

[case_insensitive]

Try not to paint with too broad a brush...

I've taught both inside and outside of the US.  I've taught at several US schools.  The organization culture from school to school varies widely.  Some schools (depts even) expect folks to be in the office like they are on the clock.  Some don't.  A good dept head will understand how each professor functions best, and encourage them to work that way, whether it be researching at home or spending lots of time in the office.

I've had a dept head like that in the past. Boy, do i miss him!

Attitudes of academics range equally widely... if you don't like your school now, then find another one. They are not all the same.

[omaraz]

I am an American completing my doctorate degree in the US, and I couldn't agree with you more.

I made up my mind before I started my current program, that I would leave the US and work somewhere in Europe. It's sad that America has a prime opportunity to have a profound impact on International education, however, we do not take advantage of it.

It seems that even the hardest working American students and most dedicated institutions have some bad habits that have followed from primary and secondary education.

My advice is much like others in this thread, head back to the UK and take advantage of the great opportunities there.