The University in RuinsIt is no longer clear what role the University plays in society. The structure of the contemporary University is changing rapidly, and we have yet to understand what precisely these changes will mean. Is a new age dawning for the University, the renaissance of higher education under way? Or is the University in the twilight of its social function, the demise of higher education fast approaching? We can answer such questions only if we look carefully at the different roles the University has played historically and then imagine how it might be possible to live, and to think, amid the ruins of the University. Tracing the roots of the modern American University in German philosophy and in the work of British thinkers such as Newman and Arnold, Bill Readings argues that historically the integrity of the modern University has been linked to the nation-state, which it has served by promoting and protecting the idea of a national culture. But now the nation-state is in decline, and national culture no longer needs to be either promoted or protected. Increasingly, universities are turning into transnational corporations, and the idea of culture is being replaced by the discourse of “excellence.” On the surface, this does not seem particularly pernicious. The author cautions, however, that we should not embrace this techno-bureaucratic appeal too quickly. The new University of Excellence is a corporation driven by market forces, and, as such, is more interested in profit margins than in thought. Readings urges us to imagine how to think, without concession to corporate excellence or recourse to romantic nostalgia within an institution in ruins. The result is a passionate appeal for a new community of thinkers. |
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Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The Idea of Excellence | 21 |
The Decline of the NationState | 44 |
The University within the Limits of Reason | 54 |
The University and the Idea of Culture | 62 |
Literary Culture | 70 |
Culture Wars and Cultural Studies | 89 |
The Posthistorical University | 119 |
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Common terms and phrases
administration allows American analysis appeal argue argument attempt autonomy becomes capital Chapter claim concerned contemporary corporation course critical critique Cultural Studies difference disciplines discourse discussion effect evaluation example excellence fact faculty function German give global ground Hence historical humanities idea identity ideological individual instance institution intellectual kind knowledge language less liberal literary literature logic longer matter means merely nation-state nature object obligation offer once organic pedagogy philosophy political position possibility practice Press principle problem production professor proposed question radical reason recognize reference refusal relation remarks replaced requires responsibility role sciences seek seems sense simply situation social society speak structure suggest teaching things thought tion tradition understand understood United unity University versity
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Bibliographic information
| Title | The University in Ruins |
| Author | Bill Readings |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint, revised |
| Publisher | Harvard University Press, 1996 |
| ISBN | 0674929535, 9780674929531 |
| Length | 238 pages |
| Subjects | › Education / Higher Education / History Education / Organizations & Institutions |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |