Why It Might Be Better to Be a Generalist

There can be no doubt that a highly-paid position focusing largely on one's own focused scholarship while working with a few top-notch graduate students is the academic ideal. But even many of the presumptively negative aspects of the Generalist position, often seen as the opposite of that ideal, can turn out to be the things we most cherish in our careers. For example, teaching broadly can have a radically transformative effect on our personal research as well as deepen our understanding of the field. Teaching-focused positions, if truly learning-centered, can improve our own reading, writing, and presentation skills; they can also improve our empathy and widen our experience of humanity. I share some of the unique opportunities and revelations of the Generalist teaching career, as well as offer strategies to improve success within the role when it comes to promotion, tenure, and research support. I conclude by proffering some suggestions for all of us to consider in rethinking the way we approach academia and our roles within it more broadly. Rather than seeing the current job market's emphasis on Generalist positions as a limitation, I hope to share my feeling that it might be an opportunity, especially if we organize to change both the discipline and academia in meaningful, even revolutionary ways.