Critical Advocacy Perspectives on Organization in Higher Education

Abstract

Shields (Critical advocacy research: An approach whose time has come. In: Steinberg SR, Cannella GS (eds) Critical qualitative research: reader. Peter Lang, New York, pp 2–13, 2012) describes critical advocacy research as an approach whose time has come, where critical inquiry “begins with the premise that research’s role is not to describe the world as is, but also to demonstrate what needs to be changed” (p. 3). While critical perspectives have gained increased visibility in studies of higher education access across social identities, student life, and faculty work, they remain underutilized in studies of postsecondary organizations. In this chapter we review and critique dominant approaches to the study of higher organizations, noting the ways in which these traditional research perspectives constrain understandings of contemporary colleges and universities. Next we explore what it means to intentionally design organization research from critical advocacy perspectives. We reflect on existing critical studies in the higher education organization literature and provide new insights on the ways in which critical questions and methodologies may be employed to advance socially just higher education organizations.