The Student: A Short History by Michael S. Roth

 


A few days ago, I was watching CNN and caught Christiane Amanpour interviewing Michael S. Roth, whom I had never heard of before, but I now learned that he is the current President of Wesleyan University. Very impressed by Roth's comments, I googled him and found that, besides being the President of the University, or should I say, in spite of it, he is a most interesting scholar with many books such as Safe Enough Spaces: A Pragmatist's Approach to Inclusion, Free Speech, and Political Correctness on College Campuses, Beyond the University: Why Liberal Education Matters, and, Memory, Trauma, and History: Essays on Living with the Past, to his credit.

 

I wanted to read at least one of his books, and the choice was not difficult. The title, The Student: A Short History, was irresistible. To my delight, both Kindle and audio (audible.in) versions were instantly available – how spoilt we are today. The Preface got me hooked, and the book was indeed hard to put down. In the Preface, Roth says:

 

"I have always liked being a student…In 2007 I returned as President to Wesleyan, where I continue to teach and do my best to remain a student…I found that the best way to remain open to learning is the same for a president as it is for a freshman. Acknowledging one's ignorance is the key… The best teaching invites one to remain a student, someone who stays open to learning, discovery, and even transformation.

 

In the Introduction chapter, Roth says:

 

"I trust it is clear that I make no attempt at being comprehensive. For example, I do not treat the traditions of study in either the Jewish or Muslim traditions, both of which had vital roles in the West".

 

I was glad to see such a disclaimer because too many Western scholars seem unaware that there is a world outside the West. But more than that, it struck me that he made no mention of Indian traditions of study. I could not help noticing that the Indian tradition—and there is a glorious tradition of student-teacher relationship— is so far removed from mainstream scholarship in the West that it does not even get a disclaimer. Who is to blame for this? Personally, I think Indians should take responsibility for this neglect for not writing enough and, especially in places and in a manner that is accessible to Western scholars.

 

Roth begins by describing three ancient teachers, Confucius, Socrates, and Jesus, compares and contrasts their teaching styles and philosophies, and makes a convincing case that modern images of the student resonate with the ancient pedagogical traditions established by these three great teachers. How I would love to read a similar account of the ancient Indian tradition of the Gurukula system and an examination of its resonance or lack thereof with the modern image of the student and teacher.

 

Roth tracks the emergence of the 'modern student' by examining the writings of the English Philosopher John Locke (1632-1704), the French historian and educator Charles Rollin (1661-1741), the Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), the German Philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), the German philosopher and educationist Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767-1835), the American academician George Ticknor (1791-1871), the American academic and philologist James Morgan Hart (1839-1926), the American sociologist and historian W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963), and others. We find an enlightened discussion of the debates about the purpose of higher education, education for women, apprenticeship, freedom, and independence.

 

As Roth already indicates in the beginning, much of the book, especially the latter half, is about the American College students and the American system of higher education. Here, he takes us on a guided tour of the evolving culture of America's colleges with an engaging account of the tumultuous years during, before, and after the student protests of the 1960s. I must confess, however, that I do not get a satisfactory account and a reasonable explanation of the meteoric rise of American higher education to become, without doubt, the best in the world.

 

Roth ends his book with words of wisdom so badly needed for today's teachers and students. I can't emphasize this enough:

 

"Teachers must get over their fear of alienating students by setting high standards, and undergraduates must come to appreciate that being criticized is something to cherish—not something to defend oneself against".

 

Michael S. Roth's The Student: A Short History is essential reading for every student and teacher!

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123505405-the-student

 

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