Pathways through precarity: the impact of flexible contracts on employees in the Irish third-level sector

This article will examine the increased flexibilization of third-level employment in Ireland, and the impact it has on individuals’ lives. The paper will first discuss this shift towards the ‘neoliberal university’ in Ireland, and the rise in precarious work. The subsequent data analysis will focus on the implications of precarious work on academic and research careers, as well as other aspects of their lives, such as housing or relationships. The analysis presented in this paper is based on the Social Implications of Precarious Work, conducted between 2016 and 2018. The project predominantly deployed qualitative methods (interviews with workers and Trade Union representatives), complemented by the analysis of existing statistical data. Forty relatively young participants were interviewed for the purpose of this project, with the majority having third-level qualifications. Eleven of them worked in the third-level sector in Ireland (9 women and 2 men) and the analysis will be based on their experiences. While the analysis does not seek to claim representativeness, it aims to demonstrate the profound effects of precarious work on different domains of life. We will also explore the gendered and the intersectional impact of such employment, particularly on family formation.