Academic Capitalism Theory: The Transformation of Knowledge Production Process in Universities

Abstract

In current higher education research, there is a debate about transformation of “traditional” principles of ideal university. The process of creating, producing, disseminating, and reproducing scientific knowledge is a main debate. Questions such as for whom, what purpose, which actors-resources, what form knowledge is created, point to problematizing a theoretical-methodological line that is more limited in the literature. This study aims to discuss transformation of academic knowledge production process in universities through the “Academic capitalism” theory, defined as a market/market-like regime of knowledge-learning, production, consumption. Transformation process in universities and its actors are examined through a theoretical discussion based on the theoretical approaches, basic concepts, current trends that ground academic capitalism literature. It is possible to think about universities-academic knowledge production from a historical-integrated perspective, to trace transformation line, together with current structural conditions, consequences in economic, political, sociocultural spheres associated with capitalism, neoliberalism, and modernism.