Culture and the University: Education, Ecology, Design

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Not long ago, it was understood that universities and culture were intimately related. However, to a large extent, that understanding has faded. Culture and the University confronts this situation. Written by three leading scholars of higher education and the philosophy of higher education, the book opens the debate about the cultural purpose of universities and higher education. The authors argue that the university should be and can be an institution of culture, of great cultural significance in the digital age, and exercise cultural leadership in society. This wide-ranging and polemic text addresses a range of subjects including environmentalism, citizenship, post-truth, the ethical implications of technology and feminist philosophy. The authors build on the work of key philosophers of the university from Aristotle, Nietzsche and Heidegger to Donna Haraway, Terry Eagleton and Martha C. Nussbaum to conceive of an entirely modern vision of the university. This is a must-read for anyone with an interest in the future of higher education and the university.

Reviews

The cultures of universities are what allow them to be effective producers and disseminators of knowledge. Knowing what these cultures consist of, and how they are created, is therefore central to understanding universities roles in society. This book probes these important questions and challenges our thinking on what the university actually is. * Paul Temple, Associate Professor, IOE UCLs Faculty of Education and Society, UK *
Universities continue to be institutions in a state of flux confronting multiple disruptions. Many have responded with slick marketing material which places style over substance. In this insightful book, the authors ask, why do we exist And in response, they unpack the cultural foundations of the university and chart an uncertain future * James Arvanitakis, Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia *
This book fills an important gap in the literature by examining the varied and multifaceted intersections between culture and the university and comes at a critical moment as institutions of higher education grapple with the fact that they are not neutral players in society. * Professor David J Hornsby, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada *
A profound reconsideration of the university/culture relationship that reaches far beyond training for civil society or teaching fundamental values, the book brilliantly treats culture as the practice of searching, frictions, and openness leading us to new horizons. Maintaining three distinctive authorial voices, the book is both unified and exciting. * Davydd J. Greenwood, Goldwin Smith Professor of Anthropology Emeritus Cornell University, USA *
This volume provides a detailed, nuanced, multifaceted exploration of the cultural purposes of the university. Both conceptual and practical in its approach, Culture and the University prompts us to think deeply about the roles and responsibilities of institutions of higher education in the 21st century. * Peter Roberts, Professor of Education, University of Canterbury, New Zealand *

Author Bio

Ronald Barnett is Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at IOE, UCLs Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, UK. He is the President and a co-founder of the Philosophy and Theory of Higher Education Society. Sren S.E. Bengtsen is Associate Professor at the Danish School of Education and Deputy Director of the Centre for Higher Education Futures, Aarhus University, Denmark. He is the Chair and a co-founder of the Philosophy and Theory of Higher Education Society. Rikke Toft Nrgrd is Associate Professor at the Danish School of Education, Aarhus University, Denmark, and Board Member of the Philosophy and Theory of Higher Education Society.