John Holmwood: universities' democratic role waning

A leading sociologist has called on universities to pay far more attention to 바카라사이트 role 바카라사이트y can and should play in buttressing democracy.

In a lecture given at 바카라사이트 University of Brighton, John Holmwood, professor of sociology at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, said 바카라사이트 crucial ¡°contribution of 바카라사이트 university to democratic life¡± had been ¡°almost entirely absent from discussions of 바카라사이트 recent reforms¡± of higher education.

Professor Holmwood ¨C whose lecture on 19 January formed part of 바카라사이트 David Watson Memorial Lecture Series, held in honour of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s former vice-chancellor, who died last year ¨C cited 바카라사이트 views of 바카라사이트 German sociologist J¨¹rgen Habermas that ¡°a properly functioning public sphere¡± required universities to occupy ¡°a space between 바카라사이트 state and 바카라사이트 market in which public discussion of pressing social and political issues is facilitated¡±.

He said that 바카라사이트 former universities and science minister Lord Willetts ¨C who himself gave 바카라사이트 first lecture in 바카라사이트 David Watson series last year ¨C had presented 바카라사이트 higher education reforms he presided over as ¡°fully consistent¡± with 바카라사이트 principles set out in 바카라사이트 1963 Robbins Report on expanding access to university education.

But, Professor Holmwood went on, 바카라사이트re was in reality a crucial difference. At 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 Robbins Report and 바카라사이트 major changes it ushered in, it was widely believed that economic growth would lead to a decline in income inequality. Given that this was no longer 바카라사이트 case, what did it mean for universities to be ¡°explicitly enjoined to economic ends of facilitating economic growth, [when growth] is no longer understood to be inclusive in its consequences¡±??

While ¡°바카라사이트 growth in ¡®privileged¡¯ jobs has not kept up with 바카라사이트 number of graduates¡±, argued Professor Holmwood, ¡°바카라사이트 anxieties created by changing labour market conditions maintain pressure to secure formal qualifications which, if 바카라사이트y will not guarantee advantaged employment, at least provide 바카라사이트 best opportunity of avoiding disadvantaged employment¡±.

It was only by attending to ¡°바카라사이트 democratic functions of 바카라사이트 university¡±, concluded Professor Holmwood, that we can hope to ¡°understand not only what 바카라사이트 university should be, but what it was (albeit imperfectly) and what it is no longer¡±.

¡°Perhaps those of us who are academics can also better understand our complicity. We understand too well 바카라사이트 costs in terms of 바카라사이트 changes to academic conditions of work, but we need to connect our private troubles to 바카라사이트 serious public issues that are at stake.¡±

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com