Education Commons^™

From Individual Difference To Political Analysis: An Emerging Application Of Critical Theory In Student Affairs, Anna L. Patton

Journal of Critical Scholarship on Higher Education and Student Affairs

This literature review presents a bridge between current use of critical theories in student affairs and contemporary political critiques of higher education. Critical theories in student affairs have been used in professional philosophy statements, student development theories, as well as new works of research exploring student experiences and campus practices. Particularly, Critical Race Theory (CRT), feminisms, and queer theory are salient in a number of works using critical theories in student affairs. Applications of critical theories in student affairs do not include a thorough interrogation of the political economic environment surrounding higher education and its relevant implications. Academic capitalism has …