Death in the Ivory Tower. Some fragments

Abstract

Death in the Ivory Tower is a fictional novel following Staverley, a sociology academic and amateur detective at the fictional University of Watermouth, who becomes involved in the investigation of a student's murder. In the selection of fragments of the book here included, Staverley faces the challenges of teaching at an English university in the mid-1980s, marked by social and political tensions, as he explores the dynamics of power, gender, and class within the university setting while uncovering the secrets of his students and colleagues. The story weaves humour and social critique, suggesting the possibility of viewing fiction as another way of doing sociology.