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Bullshit Towers

Neoliberalism and Managerialism in Universities

by Margaret Sims (Author)
©2020 Monographs X, 196 Pages

Summary

This book explores the impact of neoliberal managerialism, framed by the language of bullshit, on higher education in Australia. The book explores the figured world of management, leadership and followership in seeking to understand the changes that have shaped a sector characterised by unacceptably high rates of bullying, disrespect, lack of trust, micromanagement and poor health and wellbeing. In a world context where post-truth rules, the role of the higher education sector in creating citizens unable (or unwilling) to deconstruct the post-truths to which they are exposed is foregrounded. Quality education, increasingly defined as that which transmits the values and ‘truths’ of the privileged, has become a tool designed to create a compliant neoliberal citizenship willing to accept their allocated status in life. Critical thinking is discouraged despite bullshit words that parody its importance. University staff are de-professionalised, disrespected and disregarded and managers increasingly define themselves as ‘the university.’ Democracy is dead. Do we join the chorus shouting "long live the autocracy" or do we fight?

Table Of Contents


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Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek.
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie;
detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at
http://dnb.d-nb.de.

About the author

Margaret Sims is Honorary Professor of Early Childhood at Macquarie University and has recently retired from her role of Professor of Early Childhood at the University of New England, Australia. She is a founding member of the Australian National Tertiary Education Union, and served as Branch President, State Vice President and National Councillor. Her research interests include the impact of neoliberalism on education, professionalisation and leadership in early childhood and integrated early childhood service delivery. She is active in supporting the development of the early childhood sector across a range of nations in the Global South. Margaret began her career in New Zealand and has worked in Australia for nearly 30 years. Her family are spread across Australia and New Zealand and she now has 4 great grandchildren in New Zealand.

About the book

This book is a brilliant unflinching exposé of the damage that inflicted by an unreflexive marketized ideology on universities, not only in Australia, varying degrees worldwide. It is a must read for anyone currently in a university, anyone who has been to one in the past, or doing so, and who with the nature and extent of silent barbarism that has been allowed to go unchallenged for far too long.

—John Smyth, Emeritus Research Professor, Federation University Australia & author of The Toxic University

This book explores the impact of neoliberal managerialism, framed by the language of bullshit, on higher education in Australia. The book explores the figured world of management, leadership and followership in seeking to understand the changes that have shaped a sector characterised by unacceptably high rates of bullying, disrespect, lack of trust, micromanagement and poor health and wellbeing. In a world context where post-truth rules, the role of the higher education sector in creating citizens unable (or unwilling) to deconstruct the post-truths to which they are exposed is foregrounded. Quality education, increasingly defined as that which transmits the values and ‘truths’ of the privileged, has become a tool designed to create a compliant neoliberal citizenship willing to accept their allocated status in life. Critical thinking is discouraged despite bullshit words that parody its importance. University staff are de-professionalised, disrespected and disregarded and managers increasingly define themselves as ‘the university.’ Democracy is dead. Do we join the chorus shouting “long live the autocracy” or do we fight?

This eBook can be cited

This edition of the eBook can be cited. To enable this we have marked the start and end of a page. In cases where a word straddles a page break, the marker is placed inside the word at exactly the same position as in the physical book. This means that occasionally a word might be bifurcated by this marker.

Details

Pages
X, 196
Year
2020
ISBN (PDF)
9781789978094
ISBN (ePUB)
9781789978100
ISBN (MOBI)
9781789978117
ISBN (Softcover)
9781789978124
DOI
10.3726/b16811
Language
English
Publication date
2020 (June)
Published
Oxford, Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, New York, Wien, 2020. X, 196 pp., 6 fig. col.

Biographical notes

Margaret Sims (Author)

Margaret Sims is Honorary Professor of Early Childhood at Macquarie University and has recently retired from her role of Professor of Early Childhood at the University of New England, Australia. She is a founding member of the Australian National Tertiary Education Union, and served as Branch President, State Vice President and National Councillor. Her research interests include the impact of neoliberalism on education, professionalisation and leadership in early childhood and integrated early childhood service delivery. She is active in supporting the development of the early childhood sector across a range of nations in the Global South. Margaret began her career in New Zealand and has worked in Australia for nearly 30 years. Her family are spread across Australia and New Zealand and she now has 4 great grandchildren in New Zealand.

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208 pages