Originally published on May 15, 2019 (Episode 111)
Introduction
The 1930s were an era of remarkable experiments in higher education: the University in Exile at the New School, the great books curriculum at St. John’s College, and Black Mountain College’s arts-centered approach.
David J. Staley argues that such bold innovation has largely disappeared—and needs to be revived. In Alternative Universities: Speculative Design for Innovation in Higher Education (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2019), he outlines imaginative models for rethinking the university, from interdisciplinary “polymath colleges” to radically redesigned online institutions.
About the Guest
David J. Staley is Associate Professor of History and Director of the Humanities Institute at The Ohio State University. His work blends history, design, and futurism, with a focus on how higher education can adapt to cultural and technological change.
For Further Investigation
David J. Staley, Alternative Universities: Speculative Design for Innovation in Higher Education (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2019)
—, History and Future: Using Historical Thinking to Imagine the Future (Lexington Books, 2010)
—, “The Future of the University: Speculative Design for Innovation in Higher Education”
Listen & Discuss
Why has American higher education lost its appetite for experimentation?
Which of Staley’s proposed models seems most plausible—or most provocative?
👉 Share this with someone who thinks colleges should all look the same—hopefully they think differently after hearing this.
