The zombie university produces zombified students: the depletion harms of the extractive university

Abstract

This article draws on research with Massey University students to argue the contemporary zombie university produces zombified students – by depleting them of their capacity to care for themselves and others. The zombie university retains the name and facade of a university, but is hollowed out, no longer functioning for the public good, but for the extraction of private profit. Data comprised of 20 in-depth, semi-structured interviews, 3 focus groups and a survey (n=92), with current students (undergraduate and postgraduate), between May and December 2023, a period of unprecedented cuts to staff and teaching programs. We found that despite increasing recognition by the university of wellbeing as an issue, the cuts accelerated the zombification process and signalled an uncaring attitude from leadership, while adding a multiplicity of high-stress life issues, such as health concerns, caring responsibilities, and financial troubles. The latter meant long working hours in low-paid work, in addition to unpaid care labour (iniquitously affecting women and Māori). A sense of emotional depletion was endemic to the student participants, whereby they had little time or energy to care for others or themselves, beyond ensuring productivity; in other words they were zombified. We conclude by considering the implications for social reproduction.