Julian Hamann
Different meanings of "merit": What do elites actually mean when they justify their status with merit? Drawing on interviews in DK and UK, Sam Friedman et al. distinguish UK Talent Meritocrats from Danish Hard Work Meritocrats. This is right down my alley!
https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soad131
The Meaning of Merit: Talent versus Hard Work Legitimacy

Abstract. Elites often use merit to explain, justify, and make sense of their advantaged positions. But what exactly do they mean by this? In this paper, we dra

OUP Academic
Oct 3, 2023 at 7:14amWeb
Show threadJulian HamannOct 3, 2023
Remarkably, talent and hard work are precisely the two pillars of merit in academic obituaries as well. Although I opted for a slightly different categorization and only counted narratives of hard work as a meritocratic framework because references to talent would also include statements like "somehow success just came to him". This didn't really struck me as meritocratic legitimation, especially not in comparison to narratives of hard work and dedication. But perhaps that's just semantics.
Show threadJulian HamannOct 3, 2023
In any way, here's my piece on consecration in academic obituaries:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poetic.2016.02.005
(Sorry for the shameless plug.)
Show threadFrank MeierOct 3, 2023
@JulianHamann1 If references to talent didn't strike you as meritocratic, you're apparently more Danish than British.
Show threadJulian HamannOct 3, 2023
@immersender Åpparently sø!
Show threadJoão OharaOct 4, 2023
@JulianHamann1 no need to apologize for the plug - it's a very good paper. It was one of the most enlightening I've read when I was working with obituaries and scholarly post-mortem homage.
Show threadJulian HamannOct 4, 2023
@ohara Thank you, delighted to hear that!