Governance and change in higher education: The debate between classical political sociology, new institutionalism and critical theories

Abstract

INTRODUCCIÓN: One of the most intense debates about higher education governance and change took place in the twentieth century between the 1970's and 90's. METHOD: A systematic examination of the literature on governance in higher education during this period. The core of the works reviewed in this paper, and the analysis of the development of the field is based essentially on literature from the United States. RESULTS: The review shows the gaps and limitations of existing theory. It also provides the necessary foundations for the development of new conceptual frameworks that will enhance our understanding of the subject matter: the relationship between power, politics, and change in higher education. This article: a) provides a brief account of the development of this field of research, and b) presents a synthesis of the literature in widely accepted models of higher education governance. We find that the absence of an understanding about the State and the position of post-secondary organizations within society, in the last quarter of the twentieth century, and the deficient comprehension of theories of change, can explain the limited success in the attempt to grasp the complex relation between "internal" and "external" processes. DISCUSSION: Contemporary debates in higher education still need to provide a better understanding of university governance that takes into consideration the broader issues of political economy and power relations within higher education organizations. This is fundamental to comprehend the relationship between power and change in higher education.