Comments on: Bourgeois Knowledge

By: Alexi Diom

Alexi Diom — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 08:27:44 +0000

The question that arises at this point is: Is university the place where we can express our intellectual freedom?

By: Albert E.

Albert E. — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 11:54:59 +0000

“all too often the do-good approach generously displayed by social scientists in their ‘writings on the margins’ disappears when they sit on the departmental committees of their universities”. Yes, sadly true!!
Great piece.

By: Nadine

Nadine — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 11:25:28 +0000

Many thanks for this article! We are all immersed in a social world shaped by a such a bourgeois knowledge. The neoliberal dominant evolution of the academic system should be at stake in all faculty discussions for future plans – yet it is indeed not the case, at least not in France and Germany, the places I know better.

By: Liza

Liza — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 04:02:44 +0000

Really enjoyed this article Antonio.
When you come back to Kabul – let’s make that research seminar a round table discussion on higher education.
best wishes
Liza

By: Nkulu

Nkulu — Sun, 28 Dec 2014 14:34:23 +0000

This is exactly what we are experiencing in Africa. African knowledge production is still at the hands of bourgeois neo-colonial academics. They aesthetics knowledge do not intent to make African subjects of their own history, but to keep Africans at the receiving end as objects of academic analysis and charity. There is no acknowledgement that these so called Africanists are producing an Africa as imagined by their colonial mind. Europeans have not gone through a process of decolonizing their minds, I mean they were forced to leave Africa physically, but mentally, they still think that they own Africa. this could be seen by the arrogance of their politicians and hypocrisy of their scholars when they talk or write about Africa. One Belgium scholar who traveled to Boston to talk about the Congo was asked if they were no Congolese able of conveying a much original message, he answer was that one don’t need to be a Congolese to talk about the Congo. yes and no, yes it is evident that a daughter of a former cololialist feels all the right to talk about the country her grand parent “civilized.” No, because the scholarship on the Congo by Belgium carries with it all the colonial background. No scholarship so far has changed Africa for real. But, the goal is not changing Africa, but producing them as objects of charity and never as subject of a history.

By: Livia

Livia — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 14:03:26 +0000

Historically the production of knowledge has been elitist but, comparatively speaking, now there seems to be less elite – some say there is also less knowledge – but one thing appears to be clear in that the mechanisms of exclusion are stil there and they are perpetuated.

By: Supriya

Supriya — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 04:14:34 +0000

Antonio, great read, and thanks for indicating the problem. Exactly as you point out, the Indian subaltern scholars are particularly bourgeoisie. The problem is that the university-based knowledge creation is a particularly feudal mechanism. People inside decide who to let in, and in such a scenario, it is unlikely that people who challenge the fundamentals of the bourgeois knowledge will be let in. To add to your example of the professorial-evaluation system, I think the peer review process also acts against a non-bourgeois-ization of the social and human sciences. I wonder, what you would offer as a way to integrate what you term the “non-bourgeois knowledge” creation within the universities.
Thanks for the nice article, once again.

By: Sonia

Sonia — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 20:00:51 +0000

Simply fantastic, thanks for this article, I’m so happy you explained the strains and pains of being working-class and having aspirations of becoming a university teacher or researcher. I’m from Spain and here the situation is exactly the same. I can’t understand why this is not known or acknowledged by people in general and at university contexts specifically. Class differences and social inequality are still deeply rooted in our modern, democratic societies. It’s time to cry it out loud! Totally agree with you, university is revoltingly bourgeois and clearly oriented to the perpetuation of the status quo.

Thanks again

Sonia