Piper Bell

Piper’s academic background is in political philosophy, feminism and activism. Her published research spans topics such as academic governance and administration, exploitative and precarious academic employment, student power and partnership, and reconceptualising student voice in higher education. She is currently completing her PhD in the UQ Business School, focusing on women’s labour in higher education through the lenses of historical materialism and social reproduction theory. Her research examines the intersections of class and gender in academic work, illuminating the multiple forms of exploitation faced by women of working-class backgrounds in academia. Her doctoral research builds on her background in political philosophy to critically examine the nature of women’s academic labour and the institutional structures that enable super-exploitation. Through this work, she continues her commitment to equity, socialism and democratic agency in higher education and more broadly.

Piper has lectured across philosophy, sociology and education for over 9 years, and has been recognised with two Teaching Excellence Awards. She has also led initiatives to enhance student engagement and representation in university governance at the national level through her previous coordination of the international Student Voice Australasia network (through the University of Adelaide).