The Calling of Education

Throughout his long career, Edward Shils brought a wide knowledge of academic institutions to discussions about higher education. "The Calling of Education" features Shils's most incisive writing on this topic from the last 25 years of his life. The first essay, "The Academic Ethic," articulates the unique ethical demands of the academic profession and directs special attention to the integration of teaching and research. Other pieces, including Shils's renowned Jefferson lectures, focus on perennial issues in higher learning: the meaning of academic freedom, the connection between universities and the state, and the criteria for appointing individuals to academic positions. Edward Shils understood the university as a great symphonic conductor comprehends the value of each instrument and section, both separately and in co-operation. "The Calling of Education" offers Shils's insightful perspective on problems that are no less pressing than when he first confronted them.