This podcast episode delves into the complexities of the academic landscape in China and globally, focusing on the "up or out" system that imposes significant pressure on young scholars amid diminishing tenure opportunities. By tracing the historical evolution from the secure "bianzhi" system to the current precarious job market for academics, the episode underscores the intensifying competition for tenure track positions in a world flooded with PhD graduates. It raises critical questions about the effects of this pressure on collaboration, research quality, and whether the rigid competitive structure truly serves the best interests of scholarship, while drawing parallels to the world of professional sports.
