The Idea of the Public University

Discovering and Teaching Knowledge in a Confused World

Allan Patience

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781000684940
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Higher Education

This book sheds light on the risk of losing the authoritative knowledge discovered and taught by public universities. It argues that public universities are as indispensable now, as never before, for providing governments and citizens with reliable knowledge crucial for confronting the looming environmental, cultural, economic, and political challenges now threatening humanity's very existence.

Acknowledging the history of universities around the world, the book highlights the role they have played in creating and curating knowledge. It examines John Henry Newman's liberal idea of the university and Wilhelm von Humboldt's conception of the institution and argues this is all under threat at the hands of fake prophets and biased media preaching "alternative facts" and populist falsehoods. Shedding light on neoliberalism and the tensions between research, education, and training, the author demonstrates that the best pedagogical and economic outcomes are achieved when these interests are dynamically informing each other.

This book will be of interest to academics, university managers, and higher education policymakers questioning the role, value, and purpose of the contemporary public university.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half-Title Page
• Endorsements Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication Page
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• 1 Introduction: Is the end nigh for the public university?
• 2 Universities as knowledge sanctuaries: A brief historical overview
• 3 John Henry Newman’s The Idea of a University
• 4 Newman’s Idea: Contra and Pro
• 5 Wilhelm von Humboldt: Education reformer
• 6 Humboldt’s ideal university
• 7 The public university in a conflicted twentieth century
• 8 The ideological university
• 9 Conclusion: Reimagining the public university
• Index