The Postliberal University

An urgent exploration of the political and social conditions that shape contemporary higher education governance

In the 2010s, many state governments began to meddle in the core academic activities of their universities. By the 2020s, such attacks were becoming widespread at the state and federal levels: grants and funding have been cancelled, DEI offices dismantled, student protesters detained, and international students' visas revoked. In The Postliberal University, Barrett J. Taylor and Brendan Cantwell explain that decades of precedent have set the stage for partisan control of higher education. In fact, contemporary attacks are a sign that a new understanding is being negotiated between the state, the academy, and the public—a "postliberal" accord that frames higher education as a partisan good rather than a public or private good.

This book is an urgent guide to understanding the background of uncertainty and partisan conflict that defines our current moment in higher education. Drawing on original quantitative and qualitative data, along with real-world cases from universities across the country, Taylor and Cantwell explore how political partisans, supported by a substantial share of the public, are using volatility and expanded state power to repurpose higher education legacies, displace the people who work on campuses, and consolidate state control over higher education. To help readers understand how dramatically things have changed, the authors present a robust conceptual account of governance accords and extensive evidence of the demands on public higher education. Then, they provide recommendations and strategies for leaders, policymakers, scholars, and others seeking to uphold higher education's mission in the years to come.

The Postliberal University is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand current higher education politics and policy, comprehend the leadership challenges resulting from this landscape, and gain practical strategies for navigating this fast-changing terrain.