Based on interviews with 31 academics and 5 nonacademic partners, this article explores the experiences of academics in commuting couples, or those who live apart for work-related reasons. Using identity theory as a guide, this article explores how participants navigate their competing identities of academic and partner (and, for some, parent) to…

Given the declining number of tenure-track positions, the academic job market has become fiercely competitive, often forcing faculty to make difficult choices, including living apart from their partners and children. These individuals become commuting couples, neatly segmenting their professional and personal lives, and thus creating a…