Cultural Perspectives on Higher Education

ISBN-13: 9789048176809 / Angielski / Miękka / 2010 / 278 str.

Jussi Valimaa; Oili-Helena Ylijoki

Opis

This book analyses higher education from cultural perspectives and reflects on the uses of intellectual devices developed in the cultural studies of higher education over the last decades. It presents fresh perspectives to integrate cultural studies in higher education with wider societal processes and studies the internal life of higher education. The book uses cultural perspectives developed in previous studies to understand a variety of processes and reforms taking place.

Recenzje

From the reviews:

"The book offers a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of culture within higher education. ... One of the book's major strengths is a range of perspectives from scholars in various parts of the globe in seven countries. ... The book would appeal to scholars and students of higher education and organizational studies. The book can also serve as a useful course textbook for focused seminars on higher education culture." (Jenny J. Lee, Higher Education, March, 2009)

Spis treści

1. Introduction to the Book and its Contents: Jussi Välimaa & Oili-Helena Ylijoki.- Part I Culture, Society and Higher Education: 2. Cultural Studies in Higher Education Research: Jussi Välimaa.- 3. Trust and Organizational Culture in Higher Education: William G. Tierney.- 4. Building or Eroding Intellectual Capital?: Student Consumerism as a Cultural Force in the Context of Knowledge Economy: Rajani Naidoo.- Part II Academic Practices and Identities: 5. The Moral Order of Business Studying: Hanna Päiviö.- 6. A Clash of Academic Cultures –The Case of Dr. X: Oili-Helena Ylijoki.- 7. Academic Work and Academic Identities: A Comparison between Four Disciplines: Christine Musselin & Valérie Becquet.- 8. Culture in Interaction: Academic Identities in Laboratory Work: Martin Benninghoff & Philippe Sormani.- 9. Caught in the Science Trap? A Case Study of the Relationship between Nurses and 'Their' Science: Paula Nieminen.- 10. Determining the Norms of Science: From Epistemological Criteria to Local Struggle on Organizational Rules?: Juha Tuunainen & Tarja Knuuttila.- Part III Higher Education Institutions and Reforms in Cultural Frameworks: 11. Doctoral Education and Doctoral Theses –Changing Assessment Practices: Helena Aittola.- 12. Challenging Traditional Research Training Culture: Industry-oriented Doctoral Programs in Australian Cooperative Research Centres: Kay Harman.- 13. The Evolution of American Scientific Fields: Disciplinary Differences versus Institutional Isomorphism: James Fairweather & Karen Paulson.- 14. Quantitative Assessment of Organisational Cultures in Post-Merger Universities: Yuzhuo Cai.- 15. The Bologna Process in Academic Basic Units: Finnish Universities and Competitive Horizons: David M. Hoffman, Mira Huusko and Jussi Välimaa.- 16. How does the Bologna Process Challenge the National Traditions of Higher EducationInstitutions?: Amelia Veiga & Alberto Amaral.- 17. Future Challenges: Oili-Helena Ylijoki & Jussi Välimaa.- Subject Index.- Contributors.

Blurb

Cultural Perspectives on Higher Education takes a critical look at what cultural perspective means, and how it works in higher education institutions. What is actually happening in the internal life of the higher education institutions, and how can we study the topic from a cultural perspective?

The chapters selected for this book consist of studies in which culture has been either the object, or the structuring principle of the study, or in which cultural studies have been used as intellectual devices in the analysis. We are not only interested in gaining a better understanding of the cultural aspects of higher education, but also in analyzing the potential of cultural perspectives as intellectual devices.

The main aim of the book is to provide the readers with a good understanding of the variety of possible cultural perspectives to higher education, and to show how they can be used in both qualitative and quantitative research.

The editors of the book invite you to read the chapters of the book not only because they open fresh perspectives to higher education as a social phenomenon, but also because they tell interesting stories about the small worlds of academia where we live and work.