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Cultivating Anti-intellectualism in the Fictional University

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Anti-Intellectual Representations of American Colleges and Universities

Part of the book series: Higher Education and Society ((HES))

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Abstract

Fictional media representations have presented numerous depictions of higher education over the years. Though research has noted the value of investigating this depiction—because media plays a critical role in shaping viewers’ perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors—it has not been the focus on much scholarly work to date. This chapter provides the rationale for this analysis of the higher education portrait in novels, television, film, comic books, and video games. It also introduces the concepts of anti-intellectualism and cultivation theory, which guided the book’s authors, while offering a glimpse into the content of the upcoming chapters in the volume.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA

    Barbara F. Tobolowsky

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  1. Barbara F. Tobolowsky
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA

    Barbara F. Tobolowsky

  2. University of Redlands, Redlands, California, USA

    Pauline J. Reynolds

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Tobolowsky, B.F. (2017). Cultivating Anti-intellectualism in the Fictional University. In: Tobolowsky, B., Reynolds, P. (eds) Anti-Intellectual Representations of American Colleges and Universities. Higher Education and Society. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-57004-8_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-57004-8_1

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-57003-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-57004-8

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