Distributing Knowledge: Openness, Equity, and Higher Education Transformation | Open Book Publishers
Inequity is deeply embedded in higher education: in who can access learning, whose knowledge is created and valued, who gets published, and who ultimately benefits from universities’ work. Distributing Knowledge argues that the sector is falling short of its public mission—and that incremental reform is no longer enough.
Drawing on research, policy analysis, and real-world examples from across the globe, Richard Heller presents a compelling case for a distributed model of higher education designed to promote knowledge equity. The book shows how corporatisation, managerialism, and commercial control of educational technology and academic publishing have narrowed participation, reinforced global inequalities, and weakened universities’ ethical foundations. At the same time, it highlights the opportunities offered by digital technologies, Open Education, and collaborative knowledge creation to reverse these trends.