Mobilized academia: faculty research activities during wartime

This study aims to explore the research engagement and perceived performance of faculty members in Israel during wartime, a context that involves heightened personal and societal stress. By examining the interplay between personal challenges, professional demands, and research productivity, the study sheds light on the resilience and coping mechanisms employed by academics facing adversity, and the effect on quality of life within the unique academic environment. The research participants comprised 140 faculty members from institutions in Israel. We utilized a mixed methods approach that combined qualitative categorization and developing a quantitative model. Findings indicate that the period of war, a time of personal, social, and national crisis, indeed hampered and slowed research activity, but when the deceleration stemmed from professional difficulties, faculty members and faculty members paradoxically engaged in more research. The research findings show that academic pressure and commitment significantly affect faculty members, with their dedication to research overcoming personal difficulties. This is crucial during potential declines in research output, such as in crises, as government funding for academic institutions is based on published research. This study enhances our understanding of the interplay between job-related stress, personal challenges, and professional productivity in academia.