Myths and Traditions of Central European University Culture

Description

By examining the myriad myths surrounding Central European universities, Czech historians Lukáš Fasora and Jiří Hanuš take a diachronic approach to investigating the issues facing higher learning in the region. Using careful historical research, the authors point out vast discontinuities, comparing how the philosophy of education from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century has changed and how this evolution relates to the current administrative goals of higher education. As they confront the history and myths of university education, the authors do not shy away from exploring difficult questions, such as whether political and economic influences have completely transformed the goals and structure of today’s universities in Central Europe. Though focused on university systems in a specific geographic region, the findings have wide-ranging implications for higher education the world over. Contents MYTHS AND TRADITIONS OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY CULTURE (AN INTRODUCTION FOR INTERNATIONAL READERS) MYTH: AN ATTEMPT AT UNDERSTANDING UNIVERSITY HISTORY THE MYTH OF UNIVERSITY FREEDOM THE HUMBOLDTIAN MYTH THE MYTH OF THE UNIFIED UNIVERSITY THE MYTH OF INDISPUTABLE FOUNDATIONS THE MYTH OF CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIETY THE MYTH OF AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE THE MYTH OF TERRITORY THE HISTORY OF UNIVERSITY CULTUREAND SOME CURRENT ISSUES ZUSAMMENFASSUNG BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SOURCES NAME INDEX