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“Damian Ruth's Education as Gift compellingly critiques the commodification of education and its undermining of social change and human flourishing. Drawing from decades of global experience and scholarly insights, including indigenous and feminist perspectives, Ruth exposes how current educational practices are destructively misaligned with the true purpose of education. This book resonates deeply with my own values of education as an act of love and empowerment, advocating for a paradigm where knowledge is shared generously, fostering empathy, respect, and collective growth. It calls educators and students alike to reclaim learning from transactional models, emphasizing education's role in shaping equitable, compassionate societies. Education as Gift is not just a book but a seminal work that promises to change lives and enrich generations, a movement towards an education system that cherishes learning as a precious legacy, offering a roadmap for genuine educational reform. This endorsement reflects my belief in education's transformative power and Ruth's vision for a more just and thriving world.” – Kogi Naidoo, Principal Fellow (Advance HE), Adjunct, Charles Sturt University, Founder Self Leaders Academy, Australia “From the educational wilderness, an important voice pleading for a return to sanity. Education as ‘Gift’ is a call for education to be truly treasured, and not be simply a commodity to be traded on. The author’s thesis is both personally powerful and academically rigorous and is an important contribution in the debates currently swirling around education and the ‘education industry’.” – David J. Pauleen, Professor Technology Management, Massey University, New Zealand, Honorary Adjunct Professor, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan “This book celebrates a grounded and uplifting spirit of education and its creative potential that a sustainable flourishing future requires. These critical reflections of a thoughtful educator offer important messages for all who are interested in an education that makes a radical difference for future generations.” – Wendelin Küpers, Professor of Leadership and Organization Studies, Dean, Academic Vice President at Karlshochschule IU, Germany, Affiliated Professor, ICN ARTEM, Paris, Nancy, Berlin “The book weaves a panoramic and passionate discussion of education as gift drawing on inter alia psychology, anthropology, linguistics, and religious philosophy … a readable passionate argument for the value of education as a quest for learning untainted by marketisation, over-use of inappropriate technology or the pursuit of unnecessary technology of interest to academics of all fields and general readers.” – Deborah Knowles, MA, PhD, PGCE, Emerita Fellow, University of Westminster, UK “Damian’s exploration of the issues facing higher education is founded on a narrative which spans contexts both as similar and diverse as Apartheid South Africa and 21st century Aotearoa New Zealand. Reflecting on the impact on the value and meaning of learning itself of techno-solutionism, marketization and managerialism, Damian challenges the reader to consider the risks of the ongoing commodification of higher education in a way that will resonate with those working in the sector.” – Jean Jacoby, Director, Education Futures, The Centre for Education Transformation, Massey University, New Zealand “Damian Ruth’s individual experiences and personal perspective provide a fascinating background to informative and thought-provoking stories and discussions. The argument that education should be viewed as a gift and the doors this opens need to be both welcomed and also given dedicated time as a solution to many of the world’s problems. The book provides a multidisciplinary approach and is relevant to anyone interested in a vivid analysis of the role of education in society and the potential impact of a change in perspective on educational outcomes. The critical analysis combined with serious questions make the book both enjoyable and educational.” – Clare Hindley, Professor of Language and Communication at IU University of Applied Sciences, Bad Honnef, Germany “Damian Ruth’s elegant new book serves as a very timely intervention into the field of higher education. By re-positioning education as a gift, Ruth offers us a glimpse of a future in which education, freed from the shackles of neoliberal marketization, can once again provide solutions to the myriad problems we collectively face.” – Matthew Wynyard, School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University, New Zealand

Author Information

Damian Ruth, Ph.D. (2000), University of Sheffield, has been an educator for 40 years and taught across several disciplines and universities and has published more than 100 papers in various fields. He has received many teaching awards and held Fellowships in Ireland and Canada and was an Associate Editor of Higher Education Research and Development for several years.

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