Are universities hated by government? Yes, according to a member of the Morrison government, who reportedly said as much to journalist George Megalogenis in 2021. The Morrison government’s attacks on the universities and particularly the humanities were blatantly ideological. After three years in office the extent of the correction by the current Labor Government remains unclear.

A part of Monash University Publishing’s National Interest series, Emeritus Professor Graeme Turner’s book presents a persuasive argument concerning the crisis in our higher education system. Turner highlights the parlous state of the humanities and social sciences in our universities, casting these as a window into the broader decline in higher education. He makes a strong contribution to a long conversation on the purpose of universities and the extent to which the ideal does not match the everyday experience. This is a worthy topic given the importance of universities to our national well-being.