On the Present and (Dark) Future of Academia and Humanities

Abstract

I have a pessimistic view on the present and future of high education in general, and humanities in particular. As I see things, we face three main related problems. The first is what I would characterize as corporate control; the second, what I perceive as a class-divide enterprise; and the third as an attempt to limit the freedom of expression. I should add that my general impressions are mainly based on what I perceived within the North American higher educational system and in Europe, especially in England. Furthermore, I do not claim to be discovering something sociologically novel. What’s happening in higher education is a mere reflection of what’s going on in our neo-liberal capitalist society. My aim is modest. It mainly consists in highlighting how the neo-liberal and globalization (marketing) processes are affecting higher education and research. The conclusion doesn’t look rosy. Intellectuals, philosophers in particular, should take time to reflect on the current corruption of academia, and take a stance against the attack on the integrity of higher education.