Past Present Future· Staffel 26· Folge 337

Can Universities Survive? The Thousand-Year Story Part 2

Mittwoch, 21. Oktober 2026 · 1 h 00

MP3

Shownotes

Today’s episode is the second part of David's conversation with historian William Whyte about how universities have survived for nearly a thousand years and whether they can last much longer. How did the industrial revolution change what universities were for? Why did the attempt by French and Russian revolutionaries to abolish universities come to nothing? What made universities symbols of modernisation? And can institutions that have adapted to just about everything adapt to the digital revolution as well?

William Whyte’s new book is The University: A History in Stone, Silk, and Blood – available now hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674495180

You can find out everything else you need to know about this podcast – who we are, what we do, plus our free online courses and full lists of all episodes including PPF+ bonus episodes – on our website ppfideas.com

Next Time in Can Universities Survive? The Great Expansion

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