In Pursuit of Knowledge: Scholars, Status, and Academic Culture (Stanford Law Books)
"Rhode has written a spirited book on what students and parents are—and aren't—getting for their investments in higher education.  In her view, it isn't very much."—New York Review of Books"Rhode approaches a familiar subject in unusual and creative ways, artfully synthesizing vast materials from different fields and sources.  Her sober ethical argument is sure to stimulate debate among scholars and professional leaders in higher education."—Ted Youn, Boston College"Among the spate of recent accounts of the state of American higher education,In Pursuit of Knowledgestands out.  It's an insider's dissection of university life, written with crispness and clarity.  This nicely balanced, but never namby-pamby, account eschews ideology for critical analysis.  It makes essential reading for anyone seeking a fresh perspective on such contentious questions as the caliber of college teaching, the uses and abuses of academic freedom, and the capacity of today's academic managers to lead their institutions effectively."—David L. Kirp, author ofShakespeare, Einstein, and the Bottom Line, University of California, Berkeley"Although no dearth of accountability edicts exists at this moment in the history of higher education, Deborah L. Rhode'sIn Pursuit of Knowledgeoffers another, this one an insider perspective that joins current and contentious public debates questioning the twenty-first-century university's very raison d'etre. This vexed topic is enlivened by Rhode's heavily documented and widely ranging perusal...suggesting the expansive scope of the book." —JAC