Educational discourse constantly demonstrates a cursory dichotomous view of knowledge in which positivism and relativism are contrasted, a condition which almost unavoidably results in favorable references to relativism. The difficulty lies in the objective qualities of knowledge being associated with positivist absolutism, which brings about fear…

Sociologists are engaging in a long-overdue reckoning about the place of the traditional canon in social theory courses and pedagogy. Instructors are revising their syllabi to include a more diverse set of authors while "provincializing" classics that have long been taught as universal. We confront the question of how to teach contested…

The paper characterises the learning and teaching process with a focus on higher education and describes the basics of contemporary theories of learning and teaching. Against this conceptual background, the interweaving of performance indicators and theories and practice of learning and teaching is analysed. For a small, selected number of…

Recent advancements in generative artificial intelligence (AI) have disrupted assessment practices within the higher education sector. The efficacy of existing assessment approaches is under reexamination with the introduction of generative AI's ability to generate human-like text. Simultaneously, there are calls to integrate generative AI into…

In the face of calls for the standardization and professionalization of leadership education, a sub-field in higher education, it is important to understand who leadership educators are and how they come to understand themselves as belonging to this sub-field. Recent critiques have arisen about the overwhelming whiteness that permeates the…

In this paper, Matthew Cowley advances a theoretical approach toward higher education drawn from critical race theory (CRT) and Black Marxism. After an overview of CRT and Black Marxism, Cowley builds a working understanding of two recent (re)conceptualizations of race and class analysis that draw from both: (1) "economies of racism" and…

The article's central theme is that knowing cannot be equated with knowledge because knowing is an innate process and knowledge is a product. Knowing as an intuitive process is an inalienable experience, whereas knowledge is an alienable property. Knowledge is a discursive construct of human political economy, whereas knowing is the very character…

Since Jane Knight published her first version of her definition on internationalization of higher education in 1993, the debate on what is meant by internationalization has been ongoing and continues today. This essay provides an overview of our evolving understanding of the internationalization of higher education in theory and practice, reflects…

This article engages posthuman theory to propose a rethinking of the theory and practice of relational pedagogies within higher education (HE). There has been renewed emphasis within HE discourses on the significance of relationships within learning and teaching as a means to offer a counter-view to an uncaring marketised HE system. This article…

An important issue Noel Entwistle raises is the relationship between research and practice. Colin Smith believes this to be a complex issue that is illustrated by a metaphor of a web of webs of educational theories. A simpler version influenced his thinking in a secondment from secondary school teaching to Edinburgh University, and in the context…

We explore the literature on internationalization in higher education and distinguish between the mainstream and radical approaches to critical scholarship. We argue that the mainstream approach continues to steer internationalization towards socially progressive and equitable aims, while growing concerns have surfaced especially with regard to…

This paper, while conceptual in nature, is informed by both research and practice. Exploring the "engagement interface" as the site for student engagement (SE), we offer a conceptual contribution in engaging with the Kahu and Nelson (2018) model by bringing in a fuller understanding of SE grounded in the higher education context rather…

Racist hate speech on UK university campuses remains an increasing concern. This article examines the widespread problem of racist hate speech through a multilayered theoretical approach; and suggests that a fuller appreciation of the problem can only be gained through a race-centred analysis. Drawing on Fraser's work on the problematics of…

Misinterpretations and caricatures of Critical Race Theory (CRT) abound in popular media and in higher education scholarship. Given the confusion surrounding what CRT is and is not, I write this conceptual essay as an invitation to engage seriously with CRT's legal foundations. I offer four guideposts to aid scholars in engaging the legal roots of…

This paper offers guidance on employing open and creative methods for co- designing critical data and artificial intelligence (AI) literacy spaces and learning activities, rooted in the principles of Data Justice. Through innovative approaches, we aim to enhance participation in learning, research and policymaking, fostering a comprehensive…