8 - Leading an Academic Staff Union as a Middle-level Academic (2003–2013)

This article examines the emergence of author as a leader Universities Academic Staff Union at university in East Africa. Using role, resource and constraint-based theories well autoethnography, which is sub-category qualitative research, traces intellectual political ferment that enabled him to become unionist. From discussion emanated from data he collected, memos, newspaper articles personal memories, it became increasingly clear unionist his story demonstrates tensions, contestations some cases expensive trade-offs. Overall, there were actions performed others would implement differently given second chance lead union.