Abstract
The intensification of research agendas and growing performativity demands in higher education have reshaped academic work, with a focus on narrowly defined research outputs, competition, rankings, and “excellence”. This study explores how universities and their workers respond to these pressures. Using an adapted version of Laurent Berlant’s 100s technique, we reflect on our experiences writing for publication within an audit culture. Drawing on our participation in an 18-month “Shut Up and Write!” program at an Australian university, we employ a collaborative autoethnographic approach to analyse our engagement. Initially aiming to create space for meaningful work, we realised that our efforts were entangled in dominant performative cultures. In our writing, we consider alternatives, acknowledging the risk of reinforcing audit narratives while asserting our identities as authentic scholars. Our findings aim to contribute to fostering a collegial and responsible research culture that enables academics to navigate professional expectations in safer, rewarding ways.