The Ivory Towers are the Brick and Mortar Consortiums of a Better World

One of the most prominent criticism levied against academicians, academia and scholars in general, is their disconnect with the ‘reality of things’ and their constant need of perching high in their ivory towers. The subject matter of this discourse is of greater importance now when higher education has become a more obvious object of political scrutiny, for its use of public funds and its socio-economic purposes.

 The prima facie criticism against academia is: 

While years of scholarship and decades of esoteric knowledge is readily available for public consumption, it is lesser than usual referenced upon. The handicap the general public faces whilst engaging with academic work is complex research, technical vocabulary and expert histories. 

The label enlisted to academic work reads as 'a secluded piece of ‘art’ that affords the means of convoluting critical issues delving deep into the epistemology of the problem rather than serving practical problem solving, often categorized as an escapist attitude’.

By the 1990s, an increasing number of influential voices argued that a detached privatised academic mindset was no longer sustainable and that universities and academia should become more responsive to the social and economic needs of the wider world framework. This is when the offshoots and ‘product’ potency of academia was questioned for the first time.

So is academic research just an attempt to create ‘work’ and convolute problem solving into ‘disruption’, ‘deconstruction’ and ‘distempering’? 

We need to recognise that popularising research isn’t the only way to make a social impact. Most of the social reforms and innovations that have happened across the globe and shaped the state of world affairs circumvented from academic research. Microbiology research found a way to decompose plastic and inquiry into the non-binary nature of gender demystified legality of gender in the United States of America. Academic research, teaching and community outreach with a focus on addressing gender equality gaps have played a vital role in the development of key policies and programmes that have contributed towards Rwanda’s status as a champion of women empowerment on the global stage, according to one of the country’s gender experts. Academicians have always confronted questions of relevance. And questioning doesn’t come in binary ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Scholars can’t predict which, if any, of their researches will be influential in the coming decades. Engaging the public is important, but we should not assume that what will be integral to future society is the same as what can be made popular or immediately understandable now.

 However, there is a downfall to this elusiveness as well. Whilst the headline screaming ‘Spicy foods could help you live longer’ created waves, a little was heard of  Lu Qi, the associate professor at the Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health who co-authored the study? Academicians and academic research maybe benefit a little bit with Journalism 101. There’s a lot of research that goes unnoticed. It would benefit greatly if more academics didn’t shy away from writing for the media and communicating with average people. It would be great if the information came from the source directly.

Another criticism offered to academicians and scholars is that they are brainy introverts unable or afraid to talk to people outside their sphere of expertise. The work of an academic is to talk about ideas – in lectures, class discussions, academic conferences and student meetings. For many, it’s one of the job’s greatest pleasures. However, academics also love these big, same three- and four-syllable words and very abstract, complicated phrases, explanation of many if not all in plain English seems obscure. Academics should consider breaking down complicated conclusions into simpler ideas because why should academic research only limits the audience to other people with PhDs.

Academics, I believe, should remain perched into their distant ivory towers, a place they produce scholarships which the world thrives on but the ivory towers should also have doors and staircases which are easily accessible by the general public, businesses and media. 

Pallavi Mahajan

Gender Advocate, Diversity & Inclusion Strategist 

Chevening Scholar (2020-21) | IDS, University of Sussex | RSA Fellow

My pronouns are she/her/hers