To Measure What Counts or to Count What is Measured? A Foucauldian Genealogy carried out on strategic reports from Lund University
(2020) SKOM12 20201Department of Strategic Communication
- Abstract
- This thesis applies a Foucauldian genealogy to examine the power relations in global univer-sity rankings, by analysing three strategic reports from Lund University. The strategic reports are from 1995-2000, 2012-2016, and 2017-2026. The theory applied is Foucault’s pow-er/knowledge theory. The research question that guides this thesis is What signs of adaptation to rankings can be identified in the strategic reports from Lund University from 1995, 2012 and 2017? What are the main discursive shifts, how did they develop and what are their im-plications for the academic knowledge of the university? The dominant discourses identified in the analysis are internationalisation, the role of the university & its core values, and leader-ship.... (More)
- This thesis applies a Foucauldian genealogy to examine the power relations in global univer-sity rankings, by analysing three strategic reports from Lund University. The strategic reports are from 1995-2000, 2012-2016, and 2017-2026. The theory applied is Foucault’s pow-er/knowledge theory. The research question that guides this thesis is What signs of adaptation to rankings can be identified in the strategic reports from Lund University from 1995, 2012 and 2017? What are the main discursive shifts, how did they develop and what are their im-plications for the academic knowledge of the university? The dominant discourses identified in the analysis are internationalisation, the role of the university & its core values, and leader-ship. Several signs of adaptations to global university rankings by Lund University have been identified in the strategic reports and consist of shifts in discourse. Internationalisation has shifted from being a new phenomenon in 1995 to being one of the main strengths of the uni-versity. The university starts to behave more like a brand, benchmarking its services to other universities. The discourse about the role of the university has changed from autonomous and uncompromising to become a force that should respond to societal challenges and even with changed core values. The implications for the changing role of the university is that it could weaken the university’s credibility as an academic force. Regarding leadership, the discourse has shifted from having its focus on academic leadership with an emphasis on ethics, towards becoming a collegial leadership with a focus on measurement and evaluation internalising power within the organisation. In line with previous research, this thesis also argues that the relationship between rankings, policy makers, and the academia is complex. This paper fur-ther argues that Lund University has become part of a circular process where rankings impose a state of urgency and a need for universities to adapt to a new reality, which is changed again when a new ranking is released. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9014075
- author
- Nilsson, Isabelle LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SKOM12 20201
- year
- 2020
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Foucault, Discourse Analysis, Global University Rankings, Lund University, Power Relations, Reputation.
- language
- English
- id
- 9014075
- date added to LUP
- 2021-02-01 09:09:08
- date last changed
- 2021-02-01 09:09:08
@misc{9014075,
abstract = {{This thesis applies a Foucauldian genealogy to examine the power relations in global univer-sity rankings, by analysing three strategic reports from Lund University. The strategic reports are from 1995-2000, 2012-2016, and 2017-2026. The theory applied is Foucault’s pow-er/knowledge theory. The research question that guides this thesis is What signs of adaptation to rankings can be identified in the strategic reports from Lund University from 1995, 2012 and 2017? What are the main discursive shifts, how did they develop and what are their im-plications for the academic knowledge of the university? The dominant discourses identified in the analysis are internationalisation, the role of the university & its core values, and leader-ship. Several signs of adaptations to global university rankings by Lund University have been identified in the strategic reports and consist of shifts in discourse. Internationalisation has shifted from being a new phenomenon in 1995 to being one of the main strengths of the uni-versity. The university starts to behave more like a brand, benchmarking its services to other universities. The discourse about the role of the university has changed from autonomous and uncompromising to become a force that should respond to societal challenges and even with changed core values. The implications for the changing role of the university is that it could weaken the university’s credibility as an academic force. Regarding leadership, the discourse has shifted from having its focus on academic leadership with an emphasis on ethics, towards becoming a collegial leadership with a focus on measurement and evaluation internalising power within the organisation. In line with previous research, this thesis also argues that the relationship between rankings, policy makers, and the academia is complex. This paper fur-ther argues that Lund University has become part of a circular process where rankings impose a state of urgency and a need for universities to adapt to a new reality, which is changed again when a new ranking is released.}},
author = {{Nilsson, Isabelle}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{To Measure What Counts or to Count What is Measured? A Foucauldian Genealogy carried out on strategic reports from Lund University}},
year = {{2020}},
}