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The False Promise of Market-Based Conceptions of Human Capital: Higher Education as a Public and Private Good

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Survival of the Fittest

Part of the book series: New Frontiers of Educational Research ((NFER))

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Abstract

This chapter explores some of the challenges facing higher education in both China and the United States. Human capital theory is critically explored in terms of its role as a justification for the shift towards academic capitalism for higher education institutions. An argument is made for expanding the notion of higher education’s role in supporting the development of human capital as both a “private” and a “public” good.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA

    Cynthia Gerstl-Pepin

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  1. Cynthia Gerstl-Pepin
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Correspondence to Cynthia Gerstl-Pepin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China

    Qi Li

  2. College of Education and Social Services, University of Vermont, Burlington, USA

    Cynthia Gerstl-Pepin

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Gerstl-Pepin, C. (2014). The False Promise of Market-Based Conceptions of Human Capital: Higher Education as a Public and Private Good. In: Li, Q., Gerstl-Pepin, C. (eds) Survival of the Fittest. New Frontiers of Educational Research. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39813-1_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39813-1_12

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-39812-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-39813-1

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