Fear of Foucault: mapping the anxieties of art & design students in relation to critical theory

What is it that undergraduates are afraid of today? And how do these fears manifest themselves in their attitude towards professional practice and academic study? Can the development of a critical disposition help students to overcome their fear of taking risks? This paper maps out and explores students’ fears in relation to critical studies and professional practice through a series of visual and written activities. The resulting data is analysed using a phenomenographic approach and the paper concludes with a consideration of the implications of student anxieties for the future of cultural studies within art and design courses.