Skip to main content

Philosophy, Culture, and the Battle Against Mission Drift in Higher Education in Asia

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Higher Education and Belief Systems in the Asia Pacific Region

Abstract

Higher education in Asia is marked by a variety of belief systems that are intertwined by local context and culture. Historically colleges by and large have all been initiated with a clear mission and vision that are tied toward a fundamental purpose and public good, but over time, most institutions drift from their original mission, embracing a variety of different approaches and techniques to either remain competitive in a global environment or fight to stay financially viable. In addition imperialism and colonization have left an indelible mark, and the lingering impact is still evident in policies and practices. In this chapter we also introduce the concept of spiritual capital, borrowing from the framework of Pierre Bourdieu, and argue that spiritual capital can ultimately serve as symbolic capital in societal contexts that are invisibly driven by certain beliefs and philosophies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A social critique of the judgment of taste. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourdieu, P. (1986). The production of belief: Contribution to an economy of symbolic goods. In R. Collins et al. (Eds.), Media, culture, and society: A critical reader. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourdieu, P. (1991). Language and symbolic power. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourdieu, P., & Wacquant, L. J. (1992). An invitation to reflexive sociology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byun, S. Y., Schofer, E., & Kim, K. K. (2012). Revisiting the role of cultural capital in East Asian educational systems: The case of South Korea. Sociology of Education, 85(3), 219–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hesmondhalgh, D. (2006). Bourdieu, the media, and cultural production. Media, Culture and Society, 28(2), 211–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hilgers, M., & Mangez, E. (2014). Bourdieu’s theory of social fields: Concepts and applications. New York: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kingston, P. W. (2001). The unfulfilled promise of cultural capital theory. Sociology of Education, 74, 88–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lamont, M., & Lareau, A. (1988). Cultural capital: Allusions, gaps, and glissandos in recent theoretical developments. Sociological Theory, 6, 153–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lareau, A., Weininger, E. B., Swartz, D. L., & Zolberg, V. L. (2004). After Bourdieu: Influence, critique, elaboration. Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, J. W., Ramirez, F. O., & Soysal, Y. N. (1992). World expansion of mass education, 1870–1980. Sociology of Education, 65, 128–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willinsky, J. (1998). Learning to divide the world: Education at empire’s end. London/Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexander Jun .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Jun, A., Collins, C.S. (2019). Philosophy, Culture, and the Battle Against Mission Drift in Higher Education in Asia. In: Jun, A., Collins, C. (eds) Higher Education and Belief Systems in the Asia Pacific Region. Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, vol 49. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6532-4_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6532-4_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-6531-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-6532-4

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics