This is an essay about the historical construction of the American meritocracy, which is to say the new American aristocracy based on academic credentials. Here’s a link to the original, which was published 2020 in Bildungsgeschichte: International Journal of the Historiography of Education. It is republished in my new book, The Emergent Genius of American … Continue reading Schooling the Meritocracy: How Schools Came to Democratize Merit, Formalize Achievement, and Naturalize Privilege| David Labaree on Schooling, History, and Writing
This post is an essay by Julien Berman that was published recently in the Washington Post. Here’s a link to the original. How higher education failed America’s poor For decades, policymakers claimed to expand college access. In reality, they steered poor students into the least valuable degrees. Julien Berman The best investment you can make … Continue reading Julien Berman — How Higher Education Failed America’s Poor| David Labaree on Schooling, History, and Writing
Singapore turns 60: Padang and Marina Bay dazzle in milestone celebration| If Only Singaporeans Stopped to Think
This post is a classic piece by Karl Marx, “The Fetishism of Commodities and the Secret Thereof.” It’s the last section of the first chapter in Capital, volume 1. This analysis had a big impact on me when I first read it in grad school, and it has shaped a lot of my own work. At … Continue reading Marx’s “The Fetishism of Commodities” and Its Implications for Education| David Labaree on Schooling, History, and Writing
This post is a very recent piece by Larry Cuban, which he posted on his blog two days ago. I just love it. He asks, What’s the problem with being an average student? How did average scho…| David Labaree on Schooling, History, and Writing
The circularity Of meritocracy I see hypocrisy Don’t think it’s lost on me Joe: Schools are a meritocracy, because the best students get the best grades. Amy: What it does it mean to be the best student? Joe: Studying, doing assignments, and acing tests to get the best grades. Joe: Successful company leadership is a […]| Axol's Blog
As a part of LUCK’s seminar series, Anna Nilsson Hammar and Svante Norrhem will on 13 May, 13.15–15.00 (CEST), present their new monograph: Serving Aristocracy: Negotiation, Learning, and Mobility in An Early Modern Knowledge Community (Routledge). You will find a summary of the book as well an open access link below. The seminar is a hybrid event:... Read More| LUCK Lund Centre for the History of Knowledge
I have not thought or said much about DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) over the years. Not because I don’t care about the espoused ideals — I suppose I do, rather a lot — but because corporate…| charity.wtf