American Higher Education in a Global Context: Historical Perspectives

(Hardback)

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Description

American Higher Education in a Global Context: Historical Perspectives describes the current state of universities on each continent, providing a comprehensive analysis of the numerous factors that have affected higher education systems around the world. This book studies higher education from its emergence in antiquity to the establishment of the American research university model and its adoption around the globe, through the current Covid-19 pandemic and concomitant economic and political crisis. The author pays special attention to the shortcomings of the neoliberal trend of the last four decades, which increased social stratification at institutions of higher learning. Calling for an expansion of access to tertiary education, and in particular, to research universities, this book examines the competition between China and the United States in the field of higher education, stressing the importance of academic freedom, without which there can be no true academic excellence.

Reviews

Christina Gonzalezs book provides an excellent general description and analysis of higher education globally. It is an important resource for scholars of higher education and science and for a range of leaders and practitioners in higher education, government, and industry who are involved in building international programs and collaborations among universities and scientific institutions. The books emphasis on inequality and access as well as the role of neoliberal policies and privatization is well placed. Finally, situating each countrys higher education system in a historical, economic, political, and social context adds considerably to the value of the manuscript.

Author Bio

Cristina Gonzlez is professor emerita of Spanish and professor emerita of Education at the University of California, Davis.