Research

American Outposts: Rethinking U.S. Higher Education Abroad, 1908-1972

Today, U.S. universities dominate global rankings, and ‘American-style’ higher education is a valuable commodity, as demonstrated by the large numbers of international students that attend schools in the United States, the creation of international campuses of American institutions, and the economic incentive for universities all over the world to label themselves ‘American.’ Some of these schools are developed in partnership with American organizations; some receive funding from the federal government; almost all are characterized by an emphasis on liberal arts education, English-language instruction, and, frequently, accreditation from U.S.-based agencies.

A century ago, however, the international popularity of the American model of higher education was not guaranteed. My dissertation traces the history of American-founded institutions of higher education in the Middle East and Asia from 1908-1972, focusing particularly on the domestic religious and philanthropic organizations and infrastructure that enabled a flood of personnel and funding to establish colleges and universities throughout the world. Academic diplomacy often predated formal diplomacy, thereby forming an essential aspect of American foreign relations and shaping American higher education domestically.