5.13.2006
American Cultural Hegemony?
A German publisher writing the NYT this weekend laments American "soft-power" and offers this lament:
I'm not sure I believe this. At least three European universities have global brands: Oxford, Cambridge, and Sorbonne. If they really reformed to offer a better educational experience and research environment (and more funding for star researchers and grad students), they could steal a good deal of Harvard and Stanford's thunder. They just don't have the money that Harvard and Stanford have, and as public institutions, they would have to get that money from the government, which might be hesitant to commit several billion dollars to building and endowing a world-class university. ¶ 11:24 PM
"Hard power can by defanged by coalitions and alliances. But how do you balance against soft power? No confederation of European universities can dethrone Harvard and Stanford."
I'm not sure I believe this. At least three European universities have global brands: Oxford, Cambridge, and Sorbonne. If they really reformed to offer a better educational experience and research environment (and more funding for star researchers and grad students), they could steal a good deal of Harvard and Stanford's thunder. They just don't have the money that Harvard and Stanford have, and as public institutions, they would have to get that money from the government, which might be hesitant to commit several billion dollars to building and endowing a world-class university. ¶ 11:24 PM
