With or without U? Assemblage theory and (de)territorialising the university

Bacevic, J.

Abstract

Contemporary changes in the domain of knowledge production are usually seen as posing significant challenges to ‘the University’. This paper argues against the framing of the university as an ideal-type, and considers epistemic gains from treating universities as assemblages (e.g. DeLanda, M. 2016. Assemblage Theory. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press) of different functions, actors and relations. It contrasts this with the concept of ‘unbundling’, using two recent cases of controversies around academics’ engagement on social media to show how, rather than having clearly delineated limits, social entities become ‘territorialised’ through boundary disputes. The conclusion extends this discussion to the production of knowledge about social objects in general.

Citation

Bacevic, J. (2019). With or without U? Assemblage theory and (de)territorialising the university. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 17(1), 78-91. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2018.1498323

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 5, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jul 19, 2018
• Publication Date: 2019
• Deposit Date: Jul 22, 2020
• Journal: Globalisation, Societies and Education
• Print ISSN: 1476-7724
• Electronic ISSN: 1476-7732
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 78-91
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2018.1498323
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1297036