The idea of a university: beyond étatisme, managerialism, and “ivory tower” (on intermediary functions of a university)
Modern universities often become a subject of discussion in the public sphere, during which the relevance of university programs, the financing of science and higher education, and a number of other issues are discussed. These discussions again and again prompt political theorists to reflect on t...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Philosophy and Law
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Антиномии |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://yearbook.uran.ru/images/files/Ant_2_20_104126.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818429976742985728 |
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| author | Kirill G. Filimonov Andrey V. Topychkanov |
| author_facet | Kirill G. Filimonov Andrey V. Topychkanov |
| author_sort | Kirill G. Filimonov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Modern universities often become a subject of discussion in the public sphere,
during which the relevance of university programs, the financing of science and higher
education, and a number of other issues are discussed. These discussions again and
again prompt political theorists to reflect on the “idea of a university”. These ideas
are associated with values, expectations and beliefs, and are most often expressed in
the form of normative representations based either on pragmatism that define the
university as a functional element of the state system, or on utilitarianism that required
from the university to satisfy the economic demands of society, or on idealism that
forces position the university as an “ivory tower”. The presented positions somewhat
exaggerate the value of some of the university’s abilities to the detriment of others and
distort not only the optics of research, but also the social beliefs that influences the
development of state systems and universities. Based on the institutional approach,
the authors of this article propose a theoretical position that allows to grasp the
current pragmatics of the university community, the market and the state regarding the
development of universities and their contribution to the organization of the societal
order. According to this position, the university should be considered as an intermediary
institution that has public subjectivity; acts as an organizational form of the university
community and agent of societal relations; carries out a communicative exchange
with the external environment (represented by societies, states, markets); creates
conditions for the interaction of various agents of societal relations, including on their
own space via a formalized rational public discussion; finally, it produces knowledge
that influences the organization of the societal order. All of this taken together allows
us to consider the university a mediator. This position of the university allows it to
successfully fulfill its mediating role, both within the university corporation and outside
it, balance between different social expectations and remain in one of the most stable
and adaptive organizational forms that constitute the societal order. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:26:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3e1d97563594fa78bab167a6f98e974 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2686-7206 2686-925X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:26:04Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Philosophy and Law |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Антиномии |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3e1d97563594fa78bab167a6f98e9742022-12-21T22:56:02ZengUral Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Philosophy and LawАнтиномии2686-72062686-925X2020-07-0120210412610.24411/2686-7206-2020-10204The idea of a university: beyond étatisme, managerialism, and “ivory tower” (on intermediary functions of a university)Kirill G. Filimonovhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7698-8666Andrey V. Topychkanovhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5372-4414Modern universities often become a subject of discussion in the public sphere, during which the relevance of university programs, the financing of science and higher education, and a number of other issues are discussed. These discussions again and again prompt political theorists to reflect on the “idea of a university”. These ideas are associated with values, expectations and beliefs, and are most often expressed in the form of normative representations based either on pragmatism that define the university as a functional element of the state system, or on utilitarianism that required from the university to satisfy the economic demands of society, or on idealism that forces position the university as an “ivory tower”. The presented positions somewhat exaggerate the value of some of the university’s abilities to the detriment of others and distort not only the optics of research, but also the social beliefs that influences the development of state systems and universities. Based on the institutional approach, the authors of this article propose a theoretical position that allows to grasp the current pragmatics of the university community, the market and the state regarding the development of universities and their contribution to the organization of the societal order. According to this position, the university should be considered as an intermediary institution that has public subjectivity; acts as an organizational form of the university community and agent of societal relations; carries out a communicative exchange with the external environment (represented by societies, states, markets); creates conditions for the interaction of various agents of societal relations, including on their own space via a formalized rational public discussion; finally, it produces knowledge that influences the organization of the societal order. All of this taken together allows us to consider the university a mediator. This position of the university allows it to successfully fulfill its mediating role, both within the university corporation and outside it, balance between different social expectations and remain in one of the most stable and adaptive organizational forms that constitute the societal order.http://yearbook.uran.ru/images/files/Ant_2_20_104126.pdfuniversitythe idea of a universityétatismemanagerialismmediationintermediaryinstitutionsocietal order |
| spellingShingle | Kirill G. Filimonov Andrey V. Topychkanov The idea of a university: beyond étatisme, managerialism, and “ivory tower” (on intermediary functions of a university) Антиномии university the idea of a university étatisme managerialism mediation intermediaryinstitution societal order |
| title | The idea of a university: beyond étatisme, managerialism, and “ivory tower” (on intermediary functions of a university) |
| title_full | The idea of a university: beyond étatisme, managerialism, and “ivory tower” (on intermediary functions of a university) |
| title_fullStr | The idea of a university: beyond étatisme, managerialism, and “ivory tower” (on intermediary functions of a university) |
| title_full_unstemmed | The idea of a university: beyond étatisme, managerialism, and “ivory tower” (on intermediary functions of a university) |
| title_short | The idea of a university: beyond étatisme, managerialism, and “ivory tower” (on intermediary functions of a university) |
| title_sort | idea of a university beyond etatisme managerialism and ivory tower on intermediary functions of a university |
| topic | university the idea of a university étatisme managerialism mediation intermediaryinstitution societal order |
| url | http://yearbook.uran.ru/images/files/Ant_2_20_104126.pdf |
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