‘Left Pessimists’ in ‘Rose Coloured Glasses’? Reflections on the Political Economy of Socio‐Legal Studies and (Legal) Academic Well‐Being

This article reflects on the significance of the Journal of Law and Society and critical socio‐legal work in the context of changes in the political economy of universities and socio‐legal studies. It interweaves an analysis of this shifting political economy with consideration of another topic, namely, academic well‐being and mental health, especially in this moment, to demonstrate the continuing pertinence and importance of the left critique of universities. Well‐being has become part of a far broader set of counter‐narratives to neoliberalism evident in attempts to reposition it as a ‘force of change’, to develop new ways of working that might challenge traditional work cultures and organizational structures, and to resist the marketized neoliberal university and re‐envision what a ‘good university’ might be. Rejecting the criticism of ‘left pessimists’ in ‘rose coloured glasses’, I make the case for the continuing significance of engaging in public education and research as a public good.