Bio

Michelle Stack is an associate professor in Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia, Canada. Her research and public engagement focuses on equity, and involves diverse publics in conversations particularly around ableism, meritocracy, white supremacy, and misogyny. Her recent book, Global University Rankings and the Mediatization of Higher Education, challenges the ways in which journalists, business tycoons and multinational corporations influence definitions of the world-class university. Her second area is around media representations of mental illness and health.  She most recently completed a project that involved high school students exploring issues of belonging and exclusion through the use of photos and narratives and speaking with policymakers and media. Michelle is frequently invited by media and community groups to comment on issues related to education and equity.

Project

During the residency I will be working my co-editor Dr. Mazawi on our book titled Bodies of Knowledge and a second book on rankings. Course syllabi actively deploy and organize bodies of knowledge, identify core readings and learner activities, and establish a hierarchy between mandatory and optional readings, themes, areas of studies, and directions of interest. Moreover, with a growing focus on online courses, syllabi play an increasingly important role in the global education industry and in mediating knowledge mobilisation and transfer within and across world regions. Our book includes chapters from diverse national contexts and disciplinary fields.