We welcome guest speaker John W. Traphagan to our audio series. Today's presentation, Neoliberalism and the Quantification of Quality in Higher Education is based on his recently published FutureU commentary, So You Want to be a University Administrator?
Professor Traphagan analyzes the ongoing infusion of metrics into all aspects of “measuring” quality in higher education. From course surveys to rubrics, the overarching approach is to quantify all aspects of higher ed around a simple equation: good metrics —> good optics —> marketing opportunities.
Dr. J. W. Traphagan is an anthropologist and a Visiting Professor at the Center for International Education at Waseda University in Tokyo. He is also a Professor Emeritus in the Program in Human Dimensions of Organizations at the University of Texas at Austin. His research has appeared in numerous scientific journals. His most recent books on Japan include Cosmopolitan Rurality, Depopulation, and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in 21st Century Japan (2020) and The Blood of Gutoku: A Jack Riddley Mystery in Japan (2021). His popular podcast series, How to Be Wrong, is available on the New Books Network.
Joining Dr. Traphagan today is Forum host Rubén O. Martinez, professor emeritus of sociology and director emeritus of the Julian Samora Research Institute at Michigan State University, and FutureU’s founder. George Styles a biochemist with broad-ranging interests, including critical thinking, philosophy, and science, offers commentary as a discussant. Dr. Style’s podcast, The Socratic Method, is available on YouTube. Lewis (Terry) Dibble, a humanities professor at Indiana University Purdue University Columbus, offers comments.
Frank Fear produced the program for FutureU on June 20, 2023. The cover graphic is courtesy of Curatti.
