KURSE

The goal of this course is to (re)think the meaning and function of the “modern university” by following its transformation from its (re)configuration in the era of Enlightenment to today, the “Information Age”, “post-modern”, “post-truth” society, characterized by fast flows of knowledge and financial capital. After a brief introduction to the conceptualization of the university by the Enlightenment philosophers such as Kant and idealists such as Fichte, we will follow how the perception and function of the university changed with the consolidation of the nation-states, enhancement of social-democracy and welfare states, and then with their demise in the era of globalization and ascendency of finance. What kind of discussions have taken place within the universities between public intellectuals and academics in each era? How did the public perception of the university change? What re(formations) and re(formulations) of policies took place at the political and policy-making level? How did the citizens of the nation-state come to see the university as the regime characterized by social democratic values left its place to neoliberal values? Through a close look at several countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Turkey, the readings and discussions in this course will try to answer these and similar questions. The US, UK and Germany are cases that stand for the conceptualization and materialization of the “modern university”, therefore investigation of the transformation in these countries is crucial. The Turkish case represents the transformation in question in a Southern country in which not only the economic developments but also the hegemonic political and economic paradigms emulate those of the Northern ones. The final session(s) of the course will be devoted to thinking and discussing what the transformations in question mean about the value of knowledge and freedom of thought.

LEARNING AIMS

To provide a general understanding about:

• The relationship between the transformation of the modern university since its inception in the first half of the 19th century and the broader context of the changing capitalist nation-state system.

• The changing functions and perceptions of the university in the capitalist society since the early 19th century

• The problems and the losses that we academics and students encounter as a consequence of the transformations in question

• The new management and discipline technologies employed in current universities

Upon the successful completion of the course students will be able to:

• Have informed discussions on the complex and dialectical relationship between the political economy of different capitalist accumulation strategies and the perception and role of the modern university in society in different historical periods.

• Question the role and function of the university in their individual lives and relate these with the general political and economic context we live in.

• Tell a short history of the foundation and transformation of the modern university and of the perception of the knowledge produced within the university in the broader political economic context

• Critically evaluate the new business management strategies employed in the universities, which have taken the place of traditional logic of administration and discuss its advantages and disadvantages with regard to accountability as well as knowledge production and intellectual development.