Higher Ed

What are the purposes of higher education? When undergraduates 'declare their majors,' they agree to enter into a world defined by the parameters of a particular academic discourse, a discipline. But who decides those parameters? How do they come about? What are the discussions and proposed outcomes of disciplined inquiry? What should an undergraduate know to be considered educated in a discipline? How does the disciplinary knowledge base inform its pedagogy? Why are there different disciplines? When has a discipline 'run its course'? Where do new disciplines come from? Where do old ones go? How does a discipline produce its knowledge? What are the meanings and purposes of disciplinary research and teaching? What are the key questions of disciplined inquiry? What questions are taboo within a discipline? What can the disciplines learn from one another? What might they not want to learn and why? Once we begin asking these kinds of questions, positionality becomes a key issue. One reason why there aren't many books on the meaning and purpose of higher education is that once such questions are opened for discussion, one's subjectivity becomes an issue with respect to the presumed objective stances of Western higher education. Academics don't have positions because positions are 'biased,' 'subjective,' 'slanted,' and therefore somehow invalid. So the first thing to do is to provide a sense, however broad and general, of what dinds of positionalities will inform the books and chapters on the above questions. Certainly the questions themselves, and any others we might ask, are already suggesting a particular 'bent,' but as the series takes shape, the authors we engage will no doubt have positions on these questions. From the stance of interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, or transdisciplinary practitioners, will the chapters and books we solicit solidify disciplinary discourses, or liquefy them? Depending on who is asked, interdisciplinary inquiry is either a polite collaboration among scholars firmly situated in their own particular discourses, or it is a blurring of the restrictive parameters that define the very notion of disciplinary discourse. So will the series have a stance on the meaning and purpose of interdisciplinary inquiry and teaching? This can possibly be finessed by attracted thinkers from disciplines that are already multicisciplinary, e.g., the various knids of 'studies' programs (Women's, Islamic, American, Cultural, etc.), or the hybrid disciplines like Ethnomusicology (Musicology, Folklore, Anthropology). But by including people from these fields (areas? disciplines?) in our series, we are already taking a stand on disciplined inquiry. A question on the comprehensive exam for the Columbia University Ethnomusicology Program was to defend Ethnomusicology as a 'field' or a 'discipline.' One's answer determined one's future, at least to the extent that the gatekeepers had a say in such matters. So, in the end, what we are proposing will no doubt involve political struggles.

31 publications

Futuro de la Educación - Future of Education

The series Future of Education is dedicated to exploring the horizons of education and its possible futures through an interdisciplinary and innovative perspective. Focusing on transformational issues, such as educational innovation, complex thinking, open education and open science, educational technology and interdisciplinary research, this series seeks to contribute to educational transformation towards more inclusive, diverse, and sustainable approaches. Through monographs and edited collections with contributions from various authors, Future of Education invites researchers, educators, trainers and decision-makers to share their visions and discoveries. The books in this series address sustainable development and its integration into education, highlighting how emerging platforms and technologies can revolutionize the way we learn and teach. In addition, special attention is paid to inclusive and diverse education, recognizing and promoting practices that ensure equitable access to quality education for all. The series also explores approaches to science dissemination, providing accessible resources to a wide audience and fostering dialogue between different disciplines. Future of Education is positioned as a beacon for those interested in redefining the education of tomorrow. With a commitment to cooperation, solidarity and collective responsibility, this collection seeks to inspire and guide educational actors in the creation of a new social contract for education. Contributions that promote the transformation of education are welcome. La colección Futuro de la Educación se dedica a explorar los horizontes de la educación y sus posibles futuros mediante una perspectiva interdisciplinaria e innovadora. Enfocándose en temas de transformación, como la innovación educativa, el pensamiento complejo, la educación abierta y la ciencia abierta, la tecnología educativa y la investigación interdisciplinar, esta colección busca contribuir con la transformación educativa hacia abordajes más inclusivos, diversos y sostenibles. A través de monografías y obras coordinadas con aportes de diversos autores, Futuro de la Educación invita a investigadores, educadores, formadores y tomadores de decisiones a compartir sus visiones y descubrimientos. Los libros de esta colección abordan el desarrollo sostenible y su integración en la educación, destacando cómo las plataformas y tecnologías emergentes pueden revolucionar la forma en que aprendemos y enseñamos. Además, se presta especial atención a la educación inclusiva y diversa, reconociendo y promoviendo prácticas que aseguren el acceso equitativo a una educación de calidad para todos. La colección también explora enfoques de divulgación científica, proporcionando recursos accesibles para una amplia audiencia y fomentando el diálogo entre diferentes disciplinas. Futuro de la Educación se posiciona como un faro para aquellos interesados en redefinir la educación del mañana. Con un compromiso hacia la cooperación, la solidaridad y la responsabilidad colectiva, esta colección busca inspirar y guiar a los actores educativos en la creación de un nuevo contrato social para la educación. Son bienvenidas las contribuciones que promuevan la transformación de la educación.

3 publications

Global Intersectionality of Education, Sports, Race, and Gender

ISSN: 2578-7713

This series responds to the interesting dialogue and unique social phenomena in the global context produced by the intersections of race, sport, gender, and culture. Global Intersectionality explores these intersections and expands the literature on how each inform our thinking around certain dominant ideologies. This series examines how sporting practices in the U.S. are becoming the global norm in defining what is sport, thus our understanding of race, gender, and culture. The purpose is to inform sport enthusiasts, college students— undergraduate or graduate— educators, researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders—who are social justice oriented— about the role sport has in contributing to informing cultural ideology, reproducing and reinforcing race and gender ideologies. It also seeks to foster an understanding of how this social phenomenon, that is often situated as merely entertainment or a recreational activity for leisure, has shifted into a cultural practice that can engender global socio-political relations. The topics will include critical moments in sport, as well as broader social movements in sporting context. In addition, this series will dis- cuss topics ranging from youth to professional sporting experiences with attention given to the socialization and educational processes inherent in these experiences as it relates to race, gender, and culture—one title might explore the global sporting practices of Black women, another book topic will examine the sporting practices and the academic and athletic excellence achieved at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Or, for example, another topic might be examining the athletic migration patterns of African athletes to Europe and the U.S. The uniqueness of the titles in this series is that they will employ a variety of methodologies, including, but not limited to, qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods methodological approaches, non- empirical and socio-historical approaches that incorporate primary and secondary data sources.

4 publications