Dynamics Of The Contemporary University: Growth, Accretion, And Conflict (clark Kerr Lectures On The Role Of Higher Education In Society)
by Neil J. Smelser /
2013 / English / PDF
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This book is an expanded version of the Clark Kerr Lectures of
2012, delivered by Neil Smelser at the University of California
at Berkeley in January and February of that year. The initial
exposition is of a theory of change--labeled
This book is an expanded version of the Clark Kerr Lectures of
2012, delivered by Neil Smelser at the University of California
at Berkeley in January and February of that year. The initial
exposition is of a theory of change--labeledstructural
accretion
structural
accretion--that has characterized the history of American
higher education, mainly (but not exclusively) of universities.
The essence of the theory is that institutions of higher
education progressively add functions, structures, and
constituencies as they grow, but seldom shed them, yielding
increasingly complex structures. The first two lectures trace the
multiple ramifications of this principle into other arenas,
including the essence of complexity in the academic setting, the
solidification of academic disciplines and departments, changes
in faculty roles and the academic community, the growth of
political constituencies, academic administration and governance,
and academic stratification by prestige. In closing, Smelser
analyzes a number of contemporary trends and problems that are
superimposed on the already-complex structures of higher
education, such as the diminishing public support without
alterations of governance and accountability, the increasing
pattern of commercialization in higher education, the growth of
distance-learning and for-profit institutions, and the
spectacular growth of temporary and part-time faculty.
--that has characterized the history of American
higher education, mainly (but not exclusively) of universities.
The essence of the theory is that institutions of higher
education progressively add functions, structures, and
constituencies as they grow, but seldom shed them, yielding
increasingly complex structures. The first two lectures trace the
multiple ramifications of this principle into other arenas,
including the essence of complexity in the academic setting, the
solidification of academic disciplines and departments, changes
in faculty roles and the academic community, the growth of
political constituencies, academic administration and governance,
and academic stratification by prestige. In closing, Smelser
analyzes a number of contemporary trends and problems that are
superimposed on the already-complex structures of higher
education, such as the diminishing public support without
alterations of governance and accountability, the increasing
pattern of commercialization in higher education, the growth of
distance-learning and for-profit institutions, and the
spectacular growth of temporary and part-time faculty.
