Understanding HigherEd By “Re-Visioning Emory”

I had the great honor of participating in a unique symposium event at Emory University last night. The event was student led, faculty guided, interdisciplinary, and courageously reflective.

The organizers were kind to work with my last minute schedule disruptions (Atlanta traffic!) and I benefited greatly from the smart, entertaining, engaging dialogue. A student from History seconded my oft stated belief that one of Emory’s strongest (and least recognized) assets is the cadre of innovate, whip-smart, courageous, principled graduate students that are doing research that really matters. I met many of them last night but that I am just meeting many of them in my third year suggests we can do better about creating more opportunities for cross-pollination.

I talked about how the changes that are creating stratification and tension within Emory are emblematicic of larger economic, social, and structural changes. I made some last minute adjustments after a senior, esteemed scholar gave a talk about her experience teaching a MOOC course. I endeavored to contextualize her positive experience in larger discourses about neo-liberalism, colonialism, and competition. The paper below is the original talk as planned. I usually diverge a lot (I mean, a lot) but this is the gist, minus the last minute changes I scribbled in the margins as I took in the conversation unfolding around me.

The images are just fun.
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