11 research outputs found
Signs of Dystopia and Demoralization in global academia: Reflections on the precarious and destructive effects of the colonization of the Lebenswelt
This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: Mike Geppert, Graham Hollinshead, (2017) "Signs of Dystopia and Demoralization in global academia: Reflections on the precarious and destructive effects of the colonization of the Lebenswelt", Critical perspectives on international business, Vol. 13(2): 136-150, May 2017, doi: 10.1108/cpoib-07-2016-0026. Published by Emerald Group Publishing Limited.Purpose Our paper has been written in the style of a provocative essay. It starts with the observation that neo-liberalism has become the leading âpolicy doctrineâ in Higher Education (HE) systems across the globe. This has put increasing systemic political and economic pressure on many universities which not only undermine but also âcolonizeâ the Lebenswelt or âlifeworldâ (Habermas, 1987) of academics. Design/methodology/approach Our essay draws on concrete empirical examples based on our subjective experiences within the higher educational sector and secondary sources. Findings We are going to highlight and illustrate how the increasing dominance of âneo-liberal scienceâ principles (Lave et al., 2010) severely damage the quality of knowledge production and working conditions of ordinary academics in both national and international academic communities. Practical implications Our essay provides insights into the practical implications of the spread of âneo-liberal scienceâ principles on the work and employment of academics. Originality/value We aim to trigger critical discussion concerning how emancipatory principles of teaching and research can be brought back into the Lebenswelt of academics in order to reverse some of the destructive effects to which our essay refers to.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio
Assessment innovation and student experience: a new assessment challenge and call for a multi-perspective approach to assessment research
The impact of innovative assessment on student experience in higher education is a neglected research topic. This represents an important gap in the literature given debate around the marketization of higher education, international focus on student satisfaction measurement tools and political calls to put students at the heart of higher education in the UK. This paper reports on qualitative findings from a research project examining the impact of assessment preferences and familiarity on student attainment and experience. It argues that innovation is defined by the student, shaped by diverse assessment experiences and preferences and therefore its impact is difficult to predict. It proposes that future innovations must explore assessment choice mechanisms which allow students to shape their own assessments. Cultural change and staff development will be required to achieve this. To be accepted, assessment for student experience must be viewed as a complementary layer within a complex multi perspective model of assessment which also embraces assessment of learning, assessment for learning and assessment for life long learning. Further research is required to build a meta theory of assessment to enhance the synergies between these alternative approaches and to minimise tensions between them
Do they want contact with us? The role of intergroup contact meta-perceptions on positive contact and attitudes
This research examined the role of contact meta-perceptions on positive intergroup contact and outgroup attitudes. Specifically, perceptions of the ingroupâs and outgroupâs desire for intergroup contact were simultaneously tested as predictors of intergroup contact and outgroup attitudes. Three correlational studies were conducted in three distinct contexts, international studentsâ view of British students, general public views of people with schizophrenia, and both Muslimsâ and non-Muslimsâ views of one another. Among these three intergroup relationships, the role of outgroup contact meta-perceptions was consistently highlighted as predictor of intergroup contact. In stark contrast, ingroup contact metaperceptions did not emerge as a significant predictor of contact. Intergroup contact then predicted outgroup attitudes (Studies 1, 2 and 3) and stereotyping (Studies 2 and 3) via reduced anxiety (Studies 2 and 3). The results demonstrate the importance of explicitly highlighting outgroupsâ openness for intergroup interactions, and are discussed in the context of intergroup relations literature
Constructing a national higher education brand for the UK: positional competition and promised capitals
This article examines national branding of UK higher education, a strategic intent and action to collectively brand UK higher education with the aim to attract prospective international students, using a Bourdieusian approach to understanding promises of capitals. We trace its development between 1999 and 2014 through a sociological study, one of the first of its kind, from the 'Education UK' and subsumed under the broader 'Britain is GREAT' campaign of the Coalition Government. The findings reveal how a national higher education brand is construed by connecting particular representations of the nation with those of prospective international students and the higher education sector, which combine in the brand with promises of capitals to convert into positional advantage in a competitive environment. The conceptual framework proposed here seeks to connect national higher education branding to the concept of the competitive state, branded as a nation and committed to the knowledge economy
Cultural distance, mindfulness and passive xenophobia: Using Integrated Threat Theory to explore home higher education students' perspectives on 'internationalisation at home'
This paper addresses the question of interaction between home and international students using qualitative data from 100 home students at two 'teaching intensive' universities in the southwest of England. Stephan and Stephan's Integrated Threat Theory is used to analyse the data, finding evidence for all four types of threat that they predict when outgroups interact. It is found that home students perceive threats to their academic success and group identity from the presence of international students on the campus and in the classroom. These are linked to anxieties around 'mindful' forms of interaction and a taboo around the discussion of difference, leading to a 'passive xenophobia' for the majority. The paper concludes that Integrated Threat Theory is a useful tool in critiquing the 'internationalisation at home' agenda, making suggestions for policies and practices that may alleviate perceived threats, thereby improving the quality and outcomes of intercultural interaction. © 2010 British Educational Research Association