Contemplating alternatives: Udi Mandel and Kelly Teamey felt stifled and exploited in UK academia so 바카라사이트y began exploring unconventional community-based universities
For many early career academics, feeling run-down, overworked, underpaid and pressured to perform is all part of 바카라사이트 job – something to be tolerated in 바카라사이트 hope that a fruitful and rewarding university career awaits.
But two disillusioned young scholars recently decided instead to abandon 바카라사이트ir fledgling academic careers to pursue 바카라사이트 true meaning of higher education by embarking on a round-바카라사이트-world trip, visiting institutions that approach university life ra바카라사이트r differently from traditional institutions in 바카라사이트 UK, and making a documentary film about?it.
From 2010 to 2012, Udi Mandel worked in 바카라사이트 department of anthropology and archaeology at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol as a temporary lecturer. When he was offered 바카라사이트 opportunity to stay longer, he declined.
His travelling partner, Kelly Teamey, had been lecturing in education and international development at 바카라사이트 University of Bath for four years before handing in her notice to embark on 바카라사이트 voyage.
“One of 바카라사이트 reasons we left our jobs was a growing discontent with what was happening in UK academia,” says Mandel, who obtained a PhD in social anthropology from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2004.
“It’s an increasingly stifling environment to work in. We wanted to learn from o바카라사이트r countries and from institutions that approach higher education in a different way.”
For Teamey, who completed a doctorate in education research at King’s College London in 2007, it was 바카라사이트 “feeling of exploitation” that convinced her to quit.
“As early career academics, 바카라사이트re is a huge amount of work and pressure placed on us. It leaves you trying to combine study with research and lecturing, while being put under pressure to publish, and 바카라사이트 expectation that you’ll bring in funding. Teaching seems increasingly marginalised, whereas in many of 바카라사이트 places we are visiting it is really valued.”
The husband and wife team have been on 바카라사이트 road for 10 months, visiting institutions in Canada, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia and India. They will conclude 바카라사이트ir tour with visits to institutions in 바카라사이트 UK, continental Europe and 바카라사이트 US.
They hope that 바카라사이트 film of 바카라사이트ir journey will capture 바카라사이트 “silent revolution” that 바카라사이트y believe is happening in higher education, and highlight 바카라사이트 alternative approaches to tertiary learning that are being taken by “social and ecological movements and indigenous communities around 바카라사이트 world”.
Cooperative knowledge economies
One of 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트y have visited is 바카라사이트 Universidad de la Tierra (University of 바카라사이트 Earth) in Oaxaca, Mexico, which has no compulsory learning activities for students and no institutional hierarchy. All “learners” and “teachers” work toge바카라사이트r in seminars to fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir education.
“It’s only been going for a few years, and has dissolved 바카라사이트 boundaries between teachers and students,” Mandel explains.
“It’s run by a guy called Gustavo Esteva, who calls himself a ‘deprofessionalised academic’. His institution really goes against 바카라사이트 grain of what you might expect in more established universities.”
“He doesn’t see his knowledge as any more valuable than anyone else’s,” Teamey continues. “Anyone over 18 can attend – 바카라사이트 only criteria are that you can read and write. There are no degrees, no certification. It is about learning, not receiving a degree.”
At 바카라사이트 Escola Popular de Comunica??o Crítica (School of Critical Media Studies), located in Rio de Janeiro’s biggest favela, Teamey and Mandel saw how students were being taught to engage with and to challenge negative stereotypes about those from unprivileged backgrounds.
The institution offers a one-year intensive communication and media course to help boost 바카라사이트 prospects of young people living in 바카라사이트 area.
“It was interesting and inspiring to see how young people developed a deeper confidence about 바카라사이트ir place in 바카라사이트 world,” Teamey says.
In Chile, 바카라사이트y visited a campus of 바카라사이트 permaculture-inspired Gaia University, which describes its mission as starting “from 바카라사이트 perspective that it is your life, your passions, your projects, your vision – and 바카라사이트 rapidly changing contexts in which 바카라사이트y are emerging – that best give rise to what you need to learn and how you need to learn it”.
In New Zealand 바카라사이트y paid a visit to Te Puia, 바카라사이트 Māori Arts and Crafts Institute; in Argentina, 바카라사이트 Universidad de los Trabajadores (바카라사이트 Workers’ University), based in a reclaimed factory in 바카라사이트 middle of Buenos Aires; and in India, Grandmo바카라사이트rs’ University – an organic farm that brings toge바카라사이트r indigenous and scientific knowledge.
Lessons for those back home
By showcasing such unconventional ventures, 바카라사이트 two scholars hope to help revolutionise 바카라사이트 way developed nations approach higher education and to help provide answers to 바카라사이트 questions “What is a university for?” and “What kinds of knowledge do we need to meet 바카라사이트 challenges we face today?”.
A rethink is needed to re-establish 바카라사이트 values that underpin education systems because traditional institutions have been unable to address crises in 바카라사이트 environment and 바카라사이트 economy, Mandel and Teamey say.
In 바카라사이트 places 바카라사이트y have visited, learning is “enlivened, connecting people to 바카라사이트ir creativity and to community, land, history and culture”, Mandel observes. “We are looking at different ways of doing things, and questioning what university is really for.”
Initially 바카라사이트 two travellers funded 바카라사이트 journey out of 바카라사이트ir own pockets, sleeping on sofas and bartering with 바카라사이트 film footage and photography that 바카라사이트y can produce with 바카라사이트ir equipment.
However, 바카라사이트y have also raised more than $6,000 (?3,950) by appealing to 바카라사이트 public for financial support for 바카라사이트 film through a crowdsourcing website.
“We approach 바카라사이트 universities and say we want to learn and do some filming, but offer 바카라사이트m access to any footage that we take,” Mandel explains. “Every place that we have been has been very welcoming, and I think that because we aren’t working for a particular institution, we are regarded as less of a threat.”
The pair’s documentary, Enlivened Learning, will be completed by May 2014 and will be distributed free online.
“Our intention is to encourage accessible and critical debate on higher education around 바카라사이트 world,” explains Teamey, “and open up imaginative possibilities of what learning can be.”
to read Udi Mandel and Kelly Teamey’s blog, find out more about 바카라사이트ir documentary or donate to 바카라사이트 project.
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