ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the perspectives of a group of Australian politicians on their regional university. It explores the extent to which these politicians understand the importance of higher education for economic and social prosperity and how much their understandings are influenced by misconceptions and prejudices. The chapter examines theoretical considerations, methodological considerations, the social context of universities, the site of the case studies, and an analysis of the politicians’ perspectives on the university. It also examines the politicians’ perspectives using a framework based on notions of the self and identity in the network society. The local university was especially important in the network society for it provided access to knowledge generation and utilization and in addition provided an identity for the city. The presence of university staff and students, especially in a provincial city such as Ballarat and Bendigo, gave both communities special identities.
