Curricular Change and Innovation in the Humanities: A Multicase Study of Public University Curricular Expansions

• In Event: Accepting Responsibility for Shaping Equitable Learning Environments

Abstract

Despite the preponderance of neoliberal and vocationalizing trends in public higher education, some public universities continue to expand humanities offerings. A multi-case study of recent expansions illuminates the unique convergence of pressures on public higher education curricula. Through the application of organizational theory constructs, this study unpacks why humanities faculty proposed new programs in a seemingly adverse environment and details how those proposals were approved. Faculty were motivated to further institutionalize their discipline and often see curricular expansion as a way to signal dynamism to the administrators who oversee their programs. These findings reveal that within certain institutional contexts, humanities programs are well positioned for expansion, so long as faculty are willing to engage with and negotiate broader administrative goals.

Author

• Joshua Patterson, SoundRocket