A timely and persuasive argument for Higher Education’s obligations to our democratic society, Longing for Justice combines personal narrative with critical analysis to make the case for educational practices that connect to questions of democracy, justice, and the common good. Jennifer S. Simpson begins with three questions. First, what is the nature of the social contract that universities have with public life? Second, how might this social contract shape undergraduate education? And third, how do specific approaches to knowledge and undergraduate education inform how students understand society?

In a bold challenge to conventional wisdom about Higher Education, Simpson argues that today’s neoliberal educational norms foreground abstract concepts and leave the complications of real life, especially the intricacies of power, unexamined. Analysing modern teaching techniques, including service learning and civic engagement, Simpson concludes that for Higher Education to serve democracy it must strengthen students’ abilities to critically analyse social issues, recognize and challenge social inequities, and pursue justice.

Jennifer S. Simpson is an associate professor and Chair of the Department of Drama and Speech Communication at the University of Waterloo.

Jennifer S. Simpson's profile page

‘Longing for Justice is a relevant read that I highly recommend because it can serve as an impetus for student affairs professionals to critically reflect on their agency as administrators and educators and on the consequences of their daily educational practices with students.’

Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice June 2016