Supporting liberal democracy with curious students

Abstract In this theoretical paper, it is argued that developing students’ curiosity is a crucial way in which higher education can contribute to the preservation and advancement of liberal democracy. This argument is developed through two theoretical frameworks: Perry Zurn’s analysis of the politics of curiosity and Bruno Latour’s understanding of liberal democracy as a process of negotiation between openness and closedness. As part of his description of liberal democracy, Latour maintains that any well-functioning liberal democracy is sustained through the agency of four public actors: the politician, the scientist, the administrator, and the moralist. The last three roles, which should be understood as ideal types, correspond to three forms of curiosity highlighted by Zurn: epistemic, hegemonic, and resistant curiosity. Consequently, the paper posits that higher education institutions can play a pivotal role in the preservation and development of liberal democracy by promoting all three forms of curiosity. By doing so, higher education institutions will support the preservation of the public roles identified by Latour, as each role is shaped and maintained by different forms of curiosity. Finally, the paper invites the reader to critically reflect on what forms of higher education that higher education should promote and nurture in their students.