Theorizing Commodities and Consumption in Higher Education Through the Exploration of Rankings

• In Event: Roundtable Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: Philosophy and the Future of Higher Education

Abstract

We theorize on the concepts of commodity and consumption, which are frequently used in the context of higher education, and yet rarely explored in-depth. In doing so, we compare and contrast Marxist and poststructuralist social theories. Importantly, our exploration of commodities and consumption is grounded in an understanding that both are the result of active social processes, and are not innate qualities of a particular object or service. While the critical analysis of different competition practices in higher education—such as accreditation, rankings and marketing—is valuable in its own right, this paper is aimed at identifying themes that cut across these practices and theorizing about the role of higher education competition.

Authors

• Daniel Saunders, The University of Texas - Arlington

• Gerardo Blanco Ramírez, University of Massachusetts - Boston