Empires of Ideas: Creating the Modern University from Germany to America to China

Empires of Ideas: Creating the Modern University from Germany to America to China

A Marginal Revolution Best Non-fiction Book  “[A] fascinating book.” –Steven Mintz, Inside Higher Ed “Substantive on virtually every page, the author actually understands how universities work…An impressive performance.” ―Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution   “With his extraordinary breadth of curiosity and equal ease in the histories and cultures of these countries, only Bill Kirby could have written this book. It is must-reading for everyone who cares about universities, a thought-provoking lesson in the strange mix of durability and vulnerability that defines this key modern institution.” ―Richard Broadhead, President Emeritus, Duke University “William Kirby’s new book is unique. I know of nothing else on higher education that resembles it in breadth, scope, and sheer comparative information and analysis. Anyone interested in the nature of universities during the past two centuries will want to read this volume.” ―Neil L. Rudenstine, President Emeritus, Harvard University Today American institutions dominate nearly every major ranking of global universities. Yet in historical terms, America’s preeminence is relatively new, and there is no reason to assume that US schools will continue to lead the world a century from now. Indeed, America’s supremacy in higher education is under great stress, particularly at its public universities, while Chinese universities are on the ascent. Will China threaten American primacy?  Empires of Ideas looks to the past two hundred years for answers, examining the successes of leading universities to determine how they rose to prominence and what threats they currently face. William C. Kirby gives special attention to the challenges that Chinese academic leaders must confront: reinvesting in undergraduate teaching, developing new models of funding, and navigating a political system that may undermine a true commitment to free inquiry and academic excellence. “Timely…he makes a powerful argument about what it takes to be a leading university dedicated to the creation of new knowledge…Kirby’s book shows how catalytic is the combination of strong nations and universities that advance knowledge and foster critical and creative thinking. Now more, perhaps, than ever.” ― Michael S. Roth , Wall Street Journal “Substantive on virtually every page, the author actually understands how universities work…An impressive performance.” ― Tyler Cowen , Marginal Revolution “Although Empires of Ideas is nominally about the rise of the research university from its origins in 19th-century Germany though America’s global leadership in the 20th, it will probably be what Kirby has to say about China in the 21st that will generate the most interest…Rigorous in its arguments, Empires of Ideas is also well-written.” ― Peter Gordon , Asian Review of Books “What factors make research universities great―and, conversely, what variables threaten these institutions’ eminence? [Kirby’s] case studies are highly revealing…[A] fascinating book.” ― Steven Mintz , Inside Higher Ed “Engrossing.” ― Howard W. French , Foreign Policy “Rather than offering an overview of the university landscape, Kirby adopts the case-based approach employed in the curricula of the Harvard Business School. He traces the history of eight institutions whose trajectories he views as exemplary…There are advantages to Kirby’s case study approach. Tracing the history of an individual institution offers the reader a vivid sense of the interplay of historical contingency, policy mandates, and individual actors.” ― Robert Frodeman , Issues in Science and Technology “Kirby offers an excellent, thorough historical account of the modern research institution told through eight case studies. Its informative chapters successfully place the contemporary moment in higher education in the longue durée of postsecondary education – a story that, after two hundred years, is still unfolding.” ― William Krause , History of Education Quarterly “A masterful account of higher education in Germany, the United States, and China.” ― Lee Trapanier , University Bookman “Kirby weaves together traditional historical analysis with personal narratives and experiences with German, American, and Chinese higher education systems…Offers a genuine insider’s glimpse into the inner workings of these universities.” ― Ryan M. Allen , Hansa Review of Books “William Kirby’s new book is unique. I know of nothing else on higher education that resembles it in breadth, scope, and sheer comparative information and analysis. He has plotted the rise and evolution of the modern university in three major societies―Germany, the United States, and China―in a way that illuminates the strengths and weaknesses of each model. Anyone interested in the nature of universities during the past two centuries will want to read this volume.” ― Neil L. Rudenstine, President Emeritus, Harvard University “Kirby is in a unique position to tell this story,