The Role of the Undergraduate College in Social Change

Authors

Kenneth E. Boulding, University of Colorado
John Weiss, City University of New York

Abstract

Panel 1 presented at the Association for General and Liberal Studies' Annual Meeting at Colgate University, October 30th through November 1st, 1969.

All social change, without exception, involves a process in human learning. Social change, indeed, is an evolutionary process in the field of the "noosphere," especially if we include in this those human artifacts which are the result of imprinting human knowledge on the material and social world.

We ought to be clear at the start that the academic disciplines and the undergraduate college have not had any great impact on social change. Historically, social change in our culture has been brought about by broad economic movements (industrialization ), by massive technological changes (bureaucracies, new technologies ), and by what one might call powerful forces in popular psychology ( nationalism, liberalism). In any such listing it is difficult to perceive any extensive impact of general ideas or humanistic education as it is received in the college.

Recommended Citation

Boulding, Kenneth E. and Weiss, John (1970) "The Role of the Undergraduate College in Social Change," Perspectives (1969-1979): Vol. 1: No. 3, Article 3.
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/perspectives/vol1/iss3/3