Configuring the Labor Market for Adjunct Faculty in Higher Education

Abstract

This article examines the working conditions of temporary professors at three Mexican universities: UACM, IBERO, and UAM. Through an articulation of theory and narrative construction, it demonstrates that these professors rely on professional networks and face intense competition for temporary positions, characterized by low wages and limited job security. As a key research contribution, the article introduces the concept of the Hinged Labor Market, which describes a hybrid labor market combining formal and informal rules, allowing for some mobility while remaining marked by precarity. The findings highlight that job instability is a constant feature of this hinged labor market. Temporary professors seek stability through the accumulation of academic merits. However, upward mobility does not always lead to objective improvements, as subjective factors such as institutional prestige also play a role. Professors value institutions based on salary and academic recognition, yet their careers are shaped by alternating periods of temporary contracts and unemployment. The study calls for a multidimensional approach to analyzing professors' working conditions, moving beyond contractual stability, and underscores the complexity of their current labor reality.