Book review: D.N. Rodowick, An Education in Judgment: Hannah Arendt and the Humanities

Abstract

certainly salient in a contemporary context, the question of the university’s role in advancing the public good is perennial. Thus, while they are topically specific, the cases in this volume generate themes that would be applicable across a wide range of ethical dilemmas in higher education. For example, the socially and economically ameliorative role of colleges and universities is raised in several cases, as are questions about the utility and scope of difficult knowledge. Certainly, readers will note specific absences flagged by the editors, including (a) international student recruitment and exploitation and (b) accessibility for disabled students. In addition to these important areas, future cases might consider institutional investment in – or divestment from – corporate relationships that many find controversial or abhorrent. They might also take up more direct questions surrounding affirmative action or the role of racial and wealth privilege in access to disability, mental health, and learning supports. Finally, I imagine Taylor and Floyd Kuntz would welcome further consideration of the unique challenges that the pandemic has created for colleges and universities. The list of possibilities is long. Ethics in Higher Education lays bare the immense societal influence of higher education, while also revealing the limits of colleges and universities as ameliorative institutions. This book provides students and practitioners alike with intellectual tools and pragmatic approaches to help navigate this complex ethical landscape and, especially for higher education practitioners, to weather the challenges of acute crises and enduring dilemmas.