Generational Conflict and University Reform

This book offers a fresh interpretation of a series of ground-breaking reforms introduced at the University of Oxford in the first half of the nineteenth century. Innovations such as competitive examination, a uniform syllabus and a broad range of degree subjects are often seen as products of the reforming zeal of early nineteenth-century Britain. By contrast, this book argues that many such developments are more accurately understood as attempts by senior university members and government officials to respond to the challenge posed by a new generation of confident, politically-aware students influenced by the ideas of the American and French Revolutions. As such it highlights the importance of generational conflict as a factor influencing the nature and course of university reform.