Abstract

Ulysses is one of the most remarkable pieces of litterature in modern history: It is an enigma no one has ever succeeded in decipher fully. In a humoristic and allegoric tale, James Joyce uses the classical Odyssey to describe a day in the life of Leopold Bloom. But the history is not tied to time and place, Dublin in the beginning of the 20th century, it provides a tale of human behavior, unordinary characters, absurd and insane situations - not unlike the daily life we encounter in our institutions every day. Joyce was a true European. Born in Dublin but lived most of his life around Europe. Trieste, Paris (where Ulysses was published) and died in Zurich. The session will explore if we can use this extraordinary novel to understand our environment in an elevated perspective going beyond our own concrete daily life as RMA's. And can this help us strengthen our resilience against frustration, and seeing situations, colleagues and collaboration partners in a humoristic perspective, when that is needed.
The session will be a presentation of a "typical day" in the life of the research administrator. But as is well-known, "typical" in our world is the "untypical", the ability to be flexible and meet new situations, people and challenges are essential to our ability to succeed in our job. To be able to handle this constant change of tasks, obstructions, intrigante personalities and what colors our working environment, the RMA Toolbox has little to offer. Can we become better in understanding ourselves and our working environment through mirroring it in this novel of James Joyce? The Odyssey was a travel of ten years, where he meets gods and giants, challenges (Cyclops, Sirenes, warfare and deceit) and extraordinary beauty, for finally being reunited with his beloved wife Penelope. Joyce let his main character go through all this in just one day, and not in the Mediterranian Sea but in Dublin, Ireland. We note that the current, and two previous EARMA Chairs are from Ireland, it might be a coincidence, and we will not jump to conclusions, but leave the question blowing in the wind: Could a swim duck?