The University and its Boundaries

115 Pages·2021·2.045 MB·English

by  Eliel Cohen

The University and its
Boundaries
Grounded in key sociological theory on the concepts of boundaries, power
and control, this text addresses the question of whether the university is
thriving or merely surviving.
Using a sociological lens to consider how institutions must engage in
boundary transactions in order to maintain their unique position and
identity, this book explores how these transactions also have the potential
to undermine academic boundaries. Including a detailed analysis of the
activities, organisation and outputs of academic research in the context of
science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM)
departments of UK universities, the arguments presented have implications
for universities and their stakeholders not only in the United Kingdom, but
wherever universities face challenges of purpose and identity, particularly
where these are shaped by neoliberal modes of governance and management.
Insights into how universities must balance the ideas of themselves
as teaching institutions, research institutions and their broader societal
importance and impact make this important reading for higher education
scholars and postgraduate students, sociological theorists and all those
interested in the future of the university.
Eliel Cohen is a research associate at the Centre for Higher Education
Research and Scholarship, Imperial College London, UK.

The University and its
Boundaries
Thriving or Surviving in the
21st Century
Eliel Cohen
F irst published 2021
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
a nd by Routledge
5 2 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
R outledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2021 Eliel Cohen
The right of Eliel Cohen to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice : Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-0-367-56298-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-10295-3 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Contents
List of figures vi
List of tables vii
Acknowledgements viii
List of abbreviations ix
1 The university as a bounded institution: thriving
or (just) surviving? 1
2 The boundary lens: theorising academic activity 14
3 Zoom in: STEMM research through the boundary lens 42
4 Zoom out: the knowledge society through the
boundary lens 63
5 The future of the university and its boundaries 80
Appendix 98
Index 102
Figures
3.1 Pie chart showing outreach activities contributing
to different missions 52
3.2 Pie chart showing boundary structures contributing
to different missions 59
3.3 Pie chart showing boundary-spanning contributing
to different missions 61
5.1 Bar chart showing forms of transaction by departmental
status 83
5.2 Stacked bar chart showing collaboration with non-doctorate
holders by branch of science 87
Tables
2.1 Sampled disciplines and epistemic characteristics 29
3.1 Frequency of cases with collaboration (co-authorship)
by ‘stage’ 54
3.2 Frequency of cases of user-oriented outputs by ‘stage’ 56
Acknowledgements
I hope all will forgive me for the minimalist approach I have adopted here.
From words of encouragement to intensive support; from new opportunities
to new ways of thinking; from inherited inquisitiveness to career advice;
from duty to friendship; from collegiality to love, I wish to briefly acknowl-
edge the following people, each of whom have contributed in some way to
my writing this book (some of whom will likely never read this): Dr Vassi-
liki Papatsiba; Dr Heather Ellis; Professor James Wilsdon; Professor Geoff
Payne; Professor Simon Susen; Dr Sandra Leaton Gray; Dr Fiona Rodger;
Dr Clare Brooks; Professor Jackie Leach Scully; Professor Martyn Kings-
bury; Professor Richard Watermeyer; Dr Jenn Chubb; Dr Julianne Viola;
anonymous reviewers; my generous research participants; Dr Jared Crane;
Katie Cohen; Hyeonseon Ro; Audrey Cohen; Stephen Cohen; Isaac Cohen;
and Mary Shad.
Abbreviations
CERI Centre for Educational Research and Innovation
HEFCE Higher Education Funding Council for England
NERC Natural Environment Research Council
NHS National Health Service
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
REF Research Excellence Framework
STEMM Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine
UoA Units of Assessment