Fitzpatrick, K. (2019). Generous Thinking – A Radical Approach to Saving the University. Baltimore, Maryland: John Hopkins University Press.
In an age characterized by rampant anti-intellectualism and datafication, Fitzpatrick charges the academy with thinking constructively rather than competitively, building new ideas rather than tearing old ones down. She urges readers to rethink how we teach the humanities and to refocus our attention on the very human ends - the desire for community and connection that the humanities can best serve. This same work applies to community colleges just as much to universities – the future is not just about STEM but also about compassion, design, creativity and imagination. One key aspect of that transformation involves fostering an atmosphere of "generous thinking" a mode of engagement that emphasizes listening over speaking, community over individualism, and collaboration over competition. Big ideas for a future that will be dominated in the short term by outcome metrics focused on exactly the wrong metrics for our future.
