America likes to see itself as a meritocracy, and college as an engine of social mobility. In reality, writes Richard V. Reeves, “higher education has become a powerful means for perpetuating class divisions across generations.” How this happened and what colleges can do about it are the themes of this special issue of The Chronicle Review.
The Review
Higher education has widened the gap between the wealthy and the rest.
The Review
Social and economic chasms in our country are growing wider, and higher education is part of the problem.
The Review
Colleges were and are unequal, only now they are more unequal than ever before.
The Review
My classrooms are filled with farm kids and military vets. They know how to work hard, care about a job well done, and view education as a privilege.
