Popular culture is dismissed as trash by some academics, but as Lady Gaga – ‘Baudrillard in a bra’ – shows, there’s plenty of intellectual value in the dustbin. Tara Brabazon digs in
Obscenely priced books and journals, glacial timescales and limited formats are squeezing the life out of academic publishing, argues Keith Kahn-Harris
The critique of independent schools’ advantages in university admissions has raised its head again, but the academy should not be in the business of compensating for state schools’ failures, argue Ted Tapper and Brian Salter
Releasing Open Educational Resources is not only a commendable way to broaden access to scholarship, it can cost-effectively boost your institution’s profile and student numbers, says Russell Stannard
University education equipped Lawrence McGinty with the tools of his trade - curiosity and the desire to discover, along with the ability to question and analyse
Once upon a time, the academy saw its role as subjecting prevailing ideologies to a critical eye. But after decades of political pressure, it has surrendered its independence and lost its soul, laments Stephen Logan
Feeling lost, angry, disenfranchised? Confused by the jargon overwhelming the academy? Philip Davies offers a handy print-out-and-keep guide to the evils of ‘edu-speak’
Truly independent alternative bookshops serve students, academics and society by offering an outlet for risky and challenging titles, says Tara Brabazon
Arresting the decline of foreign language learning in the UK is vital to business competitiveness and young people’s development, argue David Lammy and Diana Johnson
