You might think it’s cute to snap a photo of your toddler running around in a playground or having a temper tantrum, and then posting it on social media. But did you ever think it might be a mistake, or even illegal? The French government earlier this year warned parents to stop posting images of […] … learn more→

For me, study abroad conjures up images of smiling students at the Uffizi gallery in Florence learning about the treasures of Western art, or trekking along the Great Wall while studying the history of imperial China. Beyond these Instagram-worthy moments, however, what are the real goals and benefits of study abroad programmes? The past century […] … learn more→

The doldrums of the post-Christmas binge is a time for clearing out your drawers, culling that book collection or re-gifting hampers of toiletries to friends who are unlucky enough to have a birthday that gets hoovered up into the holiday season. Staring at a pile of our possessions can make us reflect on what these […] … learn more→

The Trump election, a repudiation of a few of the lies which have been the foundation of our recent culture, is certainly something…but it’s not a complete solution. Our campuses in particular seem bent on enforcing the lies; there are many reports that these places are hotbeds of resistance to the “Trump repudiation,” and go […] … learn more→

On balance, 2016 was a year of highs and lows for women. The lows, however, have been of the “how-low-can-you-go” variety. In fact, there have been moments when it felt like the year of the anti-woman. By the measure of women’s greater visibility in politics, 2016 has been a vintage year. I can’t think of […] … learn more→

The UK government has recently published the results of a pilot study of graduate outcomes and initiated a consultation about whether to publish such information more widely. There could be two reasons for gathering and then publishing this information. First is to provide information to potential students. Second is to provide a justification for allowing some institutions […] … learn more→

Every December, lexicographers around the world choose their “words of the year”, and this year, perhaps more than ever, the stories these tell provide a fascinating insight into how we’ve experienced the drama and trauma of the last 12 months. There was much potential in 2016. It was 500 years ago that Thomas More wrote […] … learn more→

As we in the northern hemisphere inch past the winter solstice, the lure of the cosy log fire grows ever greater. Of course, such extravagances are rare indeed in your average academic office, but those bereft of nature’s elemental comfort could do worse than cuddle up around the glow of academia’s cosiest word. “Collegiality” conjures […] … learn more→

It really is amazing what college has become. The following is the number one reason students go to college today: “It’s where you go after high school.” I don’t blame the students for this reason: they’re trained (heck, I was trained) from an early age to believe that college was the thing to do after […] … learn more→

Utopia, a book by English statesman, lawyer and clergyman Thomas More (1487-1535), turns 500 years old this month. A fictional rendering of social philosophy, the book describes an exemplary society on an imaginary island in an unknown place faraway across the seas. Coined by More from the Greek ou-topos, meaning no place, or nowhere, the […] … learn more→