Neoliberalism: In UR philosophy department shuttin' down UR knowledge production.
Please disseminate widely, folks!
Whether or not you are involved with higher education, the following should be of concern to you:
Middlesex University decided on late Monday, April 26, to close all its Philosophy programs and to shut down its Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy.
This is a department with high standing in its discipline and a proven track record of important contributions in its field:
The Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy at Middlesex makes a significant and distinctive contribution to the teaching of philosophy in the UK. Its set of MA programmes is currently the largest in the UK, and Philosophy is the highest research-rated subject at the University.
The CRMEP is now widely recognised as one of the most important centres for the study of modern European philosophy anywhere in the English-speaking world. Building on its grade of 5 in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise, in the 2008 RAE Middlesex was rated first in philosophy among post-1992 universities, with 65% of its research activity judged ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.
More importantly, work carried out at the CRMEP is characterised by a unique emphasis on broad cultural, artistic and intellectual contexts, and a marked sense of social and political engagement.
Shockingly however, in a meeting with Philosophy staff, the Dean said that despite its excellent research reputation, the Philosophy Department had made no "measurable" contribution to the University.
This is a logic which can only make sense if the sole "measure" which is deemed to count in the eyes of the administration is a measure of profit.
If you believe that education should function under a different logic than that of businesses and corporations, if you believe that there is value in actions and ideas even when no one stands to get rich off of them, and if you believe that there is value in education beyond lining administrator's pockets, then please speak out.
Sign the petition here or, if you're feeling inspired, send an email to the Dean (contact details on the petition page).
This is more than a local issue at one UK university. This is about transnational understandings of the value of knowledge qua knowledge and free thought, and whether or not spaces for those will continue to exist in our world in the years to come.
Whether or not you are involved with higher education, the following should be of concern to you:
Middlesex University decided on late Monday, April 26, to close all its Philosophy programs and to shut down its Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy.
This is a department with high standing in its discipline and a proven track record of important contributions in its field:
The Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy at Middlesex makes a significant and distinctive contribution to the teaching of philosophy in the UK. Its set of MA programmes is currently the largest in the UK, and Philosophy is the highest research-rated subject at the University.
The CRMEP is now widely recognised as one of the most important centres for the study of modern European philosophy anywhere in the English-speaking world. Building on its grade of 5 in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise, in the 2008 RAE Middlesex was rated first in philosophy among post-1992 universities, with 65% of its research activity judged ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.
More importantly, work carried out at the CRMEP is characterised by a unique emphasis on broad cultural, artistic and intellectual contexts, and a marked sense of social and political engagement.
Shockingly however, in a meeting with Philosophy staff, the Dean said that despite its excellent research reputation, the Philosophy Department had made no "measurable" contribution to the University.
This is a logic which can only make sense if the sole "measure" which is deemed to count in the eyes of the administration is a measure of profit.
If you believe that education should function under a different logic than that of businesses and corporations, if you believe that there is value in actions and ideas even when no one stands to get rich off of them, and if you believe that there is value in education beyond lining administrator's pockets, then please speak out.
Sign the petition here or, if you're feeling inspired, send an email to the Dean (contact details on the petition page).
This is more than a local issue at one UK university. This is about transnational understandings of the value of knowledge qua knowledge and free thought, and whether or not spaces for those will continue to exist in our world in the years to come.