‘Disorientation Guide’ Wants to Push Debate About University Life

A mock guide to university life at John Hopkins University, aptly titled the “Disorientation Guide,” was released October 1, prompting debate about its provocative content.

Written by anonymous authors, the thought-provoking guide challenges apathy toward long-accepted norms of academic bureaucracy and hierarchy among other issues. “By understanding the university and the disempowered position of students within it, we hope to reveal the ways we can—and must—exercise our power to produce meaningful change,” it reads.

The guide aims to challenge students’ perceptions of academic life by raising critical points about the administration and misperceptions of college. It puts under the microscope several controversial issues by attacking the university’s stance on Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) and Hopkins’ cooperation with the Department of Defense on drone research. 

The document has so far been received with mix reviews on JHU’s campus, but at the very least it has gotten the attention it wanted.

To download the guide, click here.