Generous Thinking

Can the university solve the social and political crisis in America?

Higher education occupies a difficult place in twenty-first-century American culture. Universities¿the institutions that bear so much responsibility for the future health of our nation¿are at odds with the very publics they are intended to serve. As Kathleen Fitzpatrick asserts, it is imperative that we re-center the mission of the university to rebuild that lost trust. Critical thinking¿the heart of what academics do¿can today often negate, refuse, and reject new ideas.

In an age characterized by rampant anti-intellectualism, Fitzpatrick charges the academy with thinking constructively rather than competitively, building new ideas rather than tearing old ones down. She urges us to rethink how we teach the humanities and to refocus our attention on the very human ends¿the desire for community and connection¿that the humanities can best serve. One key aspect of that transformation involves foster