Irritable Emotions

Resistance to University Reforms

Why does it seem to be so difficult to make real change happen in universities? The current higher education system certainly requires balance, and several attempts to change it have been made. However, making change happen in higher education institutions is not an easy business. The focus of this article is on the grassroots of the university, on the development of education and on teaching in a research intensive institution. I am using the theoretic optics from research on emotions and their role in social life to shed light on the reasons which cause ”resistance to change” as well as on conflicts which result from a clash of values between new and old ways of behaving. I will also focus on how local practices, values and beliefs are embedded in academic institutions. Empirically, the article is based on my research on educational development in a Finnish university, but the emphasis here is on how local practices and values meet the reforms.