Clare Porac – författare

Is This My Place, the sequel to In Strange Places, continues the story of Susan Barron, a young academic psychologist. In 1974 she transitioned from doctoral studies in New York City to a first-year assistant professor position at James Douglas University in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is now 1978 as Susan begins her fifth year as a faculty member in the JDU psychology department. Based on her academic performance, her department encourages her to seek tenure a year earlier than usual for most junior faculty. Despite her misgivings about staying at JDU, Susan agrees to apply for tenure. Tenure brings career advantages, but Susan knows it will not change the barren intellectual landscape of her department nor will it alter her status as a department misfit. Susan quickly realizes her tenure year will be fraught with anxiety. A conversation with a disgruntled colleague leads her to distrust the department''s motives for offering early tenure. The presence of a new department chairman introduces an unknown factor into the tenure-granting process. A department emergency causes a shift in teaching assignment and an increased workload. A chance encounter with a former colleague revives memories of the emotional turmoil of her early days at JDU. Feeling overwhelmed, Susan seeks relief by secretly applying for a position in her dream department at another university. Susan becomes increasingly apprehensive as the protracted and secretive tenure application process drags on. She is distraught to discover the evaluation committee questions her contribution to the work published with a long-time research collaborator. Angry over yet another slight from her academic colleagues, she accepts an invitation to interview for the position in her dream department. Spring arrives signaling the end of the academic year. Her dream department, with its reputation for research excellence and its distinguished faculty, beckons her to join. Conflicted, Susan also sees the advantages of remaining in Victoria---a relationship with a desirable man, the job security of tenure, and the possibility of future academic advancement. As Susan struggles with the dilemma of her situation, she asks herself about Victoria and JDU, Is This My Place?