A Kitcherian Critique of Indonesia’s MBKM Reform: Democratizing Higher Education or Instrumentalizing Knowledge?

Abstract

In the contemporary era, global higher education systems are undergoing massive structural transformations driven by the imperatives of the knowledge economy. This article examines the following research question: to what extent does Indonesia’s Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) reform reflect the democratic ideals of knowledge governance as articulated in Philip Kitcher’s political philosophy of science? The study aims to critically evaluate whether MBKM promotes the democratization of knowledge or reinforces the instrumentalization of higher education. Employing a qualitative-conceptual approach, this research draws on Kitcher’s framework, particularly the concept of well-ordered science, as well as Deweyan philosophy of education to analyze the normative assumptions underlying MBKM policy. The findings indicate that while MBKM expands access to experiential learning and enhances institutional flexibility, it tends to prioritize market-oriented forms of knowledge and strengthens industry’s influence in shaping educational agendas. As a result, the reform exhibits a hybrid character in which democratic aspirations coexist with instrumental rationalities. The study concludes that MBKM falls short of the ideal of a well-ordered system of knowledge due to limited deliberative participation and persistent inequalities in access. Therefore, the study proposes the notion of well-ordered knowledge policy as a normative framework for rethinking higher education reform in democratic societies. Theoretically, this newly formulated concept expands Kitcher's framework from scientific production to institutional educational policy, while practically requiring the institutionalization of multi-stakeholder deliberative spaces, including students, academic communities, and civil society, to counter market dominance and democratically co-determine national higher education agendas.