ACADEMIC AND REPRODUCTIVE WORK DURING THE PANDEMIC. ANALYSIS OF A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN ARGENTINA

Abstract

The objective of this article is to explore the characteristics that academic and reproductive work acquired during the mandatory social isolation imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, within the context of a public university in Argentina. The research utilized a quantitative approach with a non-experimental analytical methodological design, based on fieldwork and non-probability convenience sampling. This involved conducting a survey organized into three sections: personal information, academic work-reproductive work, and the impact of strict isolation on daily life organization. A total of 119 surveys were administered to faculty researchers in July 2020, amidst the pandemic, containing twenty-nine closed-ended questions and one open-ended question. The results of the study revealed that isolation and remote work led to a reconfiguration of daily life and a deepening of persistent inequalities. Isolation brought about a restructuring of personal, family, and work-related dimensions, increasing the time dedicated to reproductive and teaching work. Simultaneously, anxiety, uncertainty, workload, and task overlap complicated the integration of academic and reproductive work.