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Navigating Contradictions Cognitive Dissonance and Narrative Conflicts in Higher Education Crisis Diagnostics

Navigating Contradictions Cognitive Dissonance and Narrative Conflicts in Higher Education Crisis Diagnostics
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Author(s): Anirban Ghatak (Global Institute of Business Studies, India)and Setavi Purushottam Thoke (Global Institute of Business Studies, India)
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 36
Source title: Narratives of Upheaval in Higher Education
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Denise Simard (The State University of New York at Plattsburgh, USA)and Janet Acker (The State University of New York at Plattsburgh, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3373-2063-2.ch002

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Abstract

This study exposes how cognitive dissonance and narrative conflicts critically undermine crisis diagnostics in higher education. Through systematic literature review and thematic analysis of 170 studies, we demonstrate that psychological discomfort (e.g., leaders rationalizing budget cuts) and competing stakeholder narratives (e.g., administrative “efficiency” vs. faculty “betrayal”) jointly distort threat assessment, causing diagnostic delays, 25% budget overruns, 40% enrollment declines, and prolonged disruptions. An integrated framework counters these barriers via (1) stakeholder alignment workshops to resolve dissonance (35% faster consensus), (2) digital sensemaking protocols co-creating unified narratives (50% faster resolution), and (3) ethical AI governance ensuring transparent, bias-audited analytics (40% trust restoration). The framework transforms crises from collapse points into catalysts for resilient renewal through narrative coherence and accountable governance.

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