THE USES OF THE UNIVERSITY

by Clark Kerr ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

More thoughts about the academic revolution. First there was Cardinal New-man's turn-of-the-century humanism, then Flexner's scientism of the '20's; now we have Professor Kerr's ideopolis or multiversity, the city of intellect with its satellite suburbs, the university as all things to all people. His study- varyingly pungent, pompous and programmatic- charts the past and present course and also ascends the look-out to scan the choppy seas ahead. Aside from the usual tear-shedding over faculty, student and administrative alienations and the increasing factionalism between the herents of Jeffersonian excellence and those of Jacksonian equality, the professor's streamlined middle-steering centers most tellingly on Washington grant-in-aids, the nuclear event in education since WWII. The first phase, called ""intuitive imbalance"", had technological research centers gulping the lion's share; the emergent phase lubbed ""bureaucratic balance"", approaches a sort of spread-the-wealth gospel with the descending on all departments, all disciplines- or so it is hoped. Other items: challenge of federal/state control, the military-industrial complex and inter-university rivalry. An agreeable, glossy guide.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: 0674005325

Page Count: -

Publisher: Harvard Univ. Press

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1963

Categories: NONFICTION