Higher education exposes a key paradox of neoliberalism. The project of neoliberalism was said to be that of rolling back the state to liberate individuals, by replacing government bureaucracy with the free market. Rather than have the market serve individuals however, individuals were to serve the market. The marketisation 'reforms' in higher education, which sought to reshape knowledge production, with students investing in human capital and academics producing 'transferable' research, to make higher education of use to the economy, has resulted in extensive government bureaucracy and oppressive managerialist bureaucracy which is inefficient and expensive. Neoliberalism has always had authoritarian aspects and these are now coming to bear on universities. The state does not want critical and informed graduate citizens, but a hollowed out public sphere defined by consumption, willing servitude to the market and deference to state power. Attempts to reshape universities with bureaucracy are now accompanied by a culture war, attacking the production of critical knowledge. The authors in this book explore these issues and the possibilities for resistance and progressive change.

About the Author

Justin Cruickshank is a senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham, with research interests in critical university studies, critical responses to authoritarian neoliberalism, and the philosophy of social science.

Ross Abbinnett is a senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham, with research interests in classical and contemporary critical theory, and the social theory and philosophy of technology and technocracy.

Book Information
ISBN 9781538161401
Author Justin Cruickshank
Format Hardback
Page Count 414
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 816g
Dimensions(mm) 227mm * 160mm * 30mm