The European and American University since 1800

Universitiesaresaidtobethe'powerhouses'ofmodernsociety.Theyeducateleadersandadvanceourbasicknowledgeofnatureandsociety.Yethistoricallytheyhavebeenvulnerablewhenmeetingthechallengesofdynamicindustrialdemocraciesorindeedofmoderntotalitarianstates.Todayuniversitiesareatthecentreofsociety'sattentionandmustthereforebalanceagreatnumberofcontradictorydemandsandpressures.Canthisbedonewithinthestructureandethosofanhistoricinstitutioncalleda'university',oraresuchinstitutionsnowpasséandmerelypartofabureaucraticallymanagedhighereducation'system'?Theseessaysdiscussthewaysinwhichuniversitieshavecopedwithcomplexitysince1800,whileretainingtheirbasic'idea'.SpecialattentionisaccordedtotheroleoftheStateandtheautonomousprofessionsindefiningthemissionofuniversitiesandintheirstruggleforindividualityinthefaceofmountingpluralisticandbureaucraticpressures.