Promoting Democracy Through Modding the Public University

• In Event: Democratic Purpose of Higher Education in the Context of Neoliberalism

Abstract

The purpose of this philosophical inquiry is to propose strategies to create the conditions necessary for democracy through “modding” the public university. Borrowing the term “modding” from the videogames industry, I argue how this playful approach to self-governance in the university helps create what Wendy Brown describes as the conditions necessary for a healthy democracy. As a fundamental institution of democracy, public universities have a unique role in creating and promoting these conditions. Roger Caillois’ concept of play helps us to understand how modding differs from formal and structural approaches to university governance. This concept of play is antithetical to the neoliberal university and its usage helps universities more fully embody democratic values.

Author

• Justin Wayne Taylor, Florida International University