300125 Social Boundaries in Higher Education (S) (SoSe 2014)

In the last decade, social scientists from various disciplines have geared more and more attention at higher education. They study how formerly elite institutions such as universities transform to incorporate a growing diversity of student bodies. They also ask why strong inequalities remain in both higher education itself and in wider society, despite the egalitarian underpinnings and the universal promise. How do the new developments – in particular, the higher rates of admonition, the national and global competition, and also the increasing economisation of the academic system - challenge higher education theory, policy and practice? What insights do we gain from these dynamics on the nature of change in contemporary societies? -This seminar uses a constructivist perspective on the making and unmaking of social boundaries seeking to understand changing modalities of inclusion and exclusion in higher education across the world. The purpose of the seminar is to address these issue in three ways:

• In the first part, we look at the current state of higher education research across the disciplines, and in particular in the emerging field of anthropology of higher education.
• The second part examines how social boundaries are constructed in higher education systems in different parts of the world. The focus lies here on research of

- access of people with different social backgrounds in the higher education system as well as their positioning along the lines of class, gender and ethnicity, and their experiences of inclusion and exclusion.
- in turn, we look at institutional responsiveness to growing diversity and heterogeneity, policies of affirmative action and politics of student organisations.

• In the third and final part of the seminar, we use our empirical insights to critically assess wider agendas of international organisations such as the World Bank (2002), UNESCO (2009) or OECD (2012), which all propagate university education as a means to advance development, democracy and good lives. While they emphasise human capital (knowledge, technology, innovation) as an engine for economic growth, we also reflect how higher education can contribute to the building of more just societies. Against this backdrop, we also inquire into student politics aimed at achieving more justice and inclusion.

Requirements for participation, required level

The seminar is open for master students. The seminar requires good English reading competences and is planned to be held in English.

Bibliography

1. Bradley A. U. Levinson, Mica Pollock, Shabana Mir (2011), A companion to the anthropology of education, Wiley-Blackwell
2. Robertson, Susan; Dale, Roger; Moutsios, Stavros; Nielsen, Gritt; Shore, Cris; Wright, Susan (2012) “Globalisation and Regionalisation in Higher Education: Toward a New Conceptual Framework”, Summative Working Paper for Work Package 1, Department of Education, University of Aarhus
3. Read, Barbara; Archer, Louise; Leathwood, Carole (2003) “Challenging Cultures? Student Conceptions of ‘Belonging’ and ‘Isolation’ at a Post-1992 University”, in: Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 261-277
4. Kristen, Cornelia; Reimer, David; Kogan, Irena (2008) “Higher Education Entry of Turkish Immigrant Youth in Germany”, in: International Journal of Comparative Sociology, Vol. 49 (2-3), pp. 127-151
5. Walker, Melanie (2012) “Universities, Development and Social Justice. A Human Capabilities Perspective”, Paper presented at the Symposium ECER 2012, The Need for Educational Research to Champion Freedom, Education and Development for All, pp.1-12