Close friendships in academia

Abstract: When we think about the conflicts we experience in life, whether they be rejections in our personal lives, professional arguments with colleagues, or ideological conflict with those in our community, we often turn to our closest friends. A slightly different take on the theme of conflict, this symposium focuses on longtime friends in academia. It is about how such deep friendships, though requiring much investment, help us manage and navigate the rocky terrains of personal and professional life. Topics will include how presenters’ friendships influenced their intellectual thinking, values, networks, mentoring style, and problem-solving approach. Frameworks used to discuss these topics draw from the fields of Psychology, Sociology, Organizational Behavior, Epidemiology, and Communications, such as network theory, thin slice theory, and relational dialectics theory. As we are increasingly drawing mental boundaries (“protect our peace”), forming frictionless friendships with AI, and seeing isolation as normal, we need to see the profound benefits of close friendships and relationship investment. By integrating a range of scholarly theories with personal experiences, this symposium aims to approach friendship and life in a nerdy, uplifting, and fun way.

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