The School of Political Science and Sociology and the Moore Institute present a workshop ‘ Why Higher Education still matters: a conversation about what we do everyday’ with Les Back (Goldsmiths, University of London) and Kevin Ryan (School of Political Science and Sociology, NUIG)

Is a university education still relevant? What are the forces that threaten it? Should academics ever be allowed near Twitter? In Academic Diary (Goldsmiths Press 2016), Les Back has chronicled three decades of his academic career, turning his sharp and often satirical eye to the everyday aspects of life on campus and the larger forces that are reshaping it. In this session he will talk to Kevin Ryan about the writing of this book focusing on its key question – why Higher Education still matters. Commenting on topics that range from the impact of commercialization and fee increases to measurement and auditing research, the diary offers a critical analysis of higher education today. At the same time, it is a passionate argument for the life of the mind, the importance of collaborative thinking, and the reasons that scholarship and writing are still vital for making sense of our troubled and divided world.   Les will read some excerpts from his diary and have a discussion with Kevin about some of the issues it raises, while also offering an opportunity for the audience to be part of the conversation.