I am in higher level education in the public university system. I used to view academia as a source of hope in society, and perhaps a progressive institution in someways, or some kind of source of hope with their supposed focus on science and research. After some years here, this "image" I had of academia has been shattered.
What are your perceptions of academia and research institutions, as Marxists?
I think it's hard, because the farther I get into my academic career, the more elitist it gets, and the more "pay to play" it feels, like it's just made for rich kids. I got into my program on a 75% merit based scholarship, but then my PI started setting me up with all these conferences to submit our papers to, except no one told me that I need to be the person fronting these several hundreds of dollars for registering papers that the school says they will pay me back "if funding permits" lol, what a joke. It feels like an institution that exists only to be accessible for the wealthy, despite me fighting my way up the ladder tooth and nail.