Overview

The definitive history of American higher education—now up to date. Colleges and universities are among the most cherished—and controversial—institutions in the United States. In this updated edition of A History of American Higher Education, John R. Thelin offers welcome perspective on the triumphs and crises of this highly influential sector in American life. Exploring American higher education from its founding in the seventeenth century to its struggle to innovate and adapt in the first decades of the twenty-first century, Thelin demonstrates that the experience of going to college has been central to American life for generations of students and their families. Drawing from archival research, along with the pioneering scholarship of leading historians, Thelin raises profound questions about what colleges are—and what they should be. Covering issues of social class, race, gender, and ethnicity in each era and chapter, this new edition showcases a fresh concluding chapter that focuses on both the opportunities and problems American higher education has faced since 2010. The essay on sources has been revised to incorporate books and articles published over the past decade. The book also updates the discussion of perennial hot-button issues such as big-time sports programs, online learning, the debt crisis, the adjunct crisis, and the return of the culture wars and addresses current areas of contention, including the changing role of governing boards and the financial challenges posed by the economic downturn. Anyone studying the history of this institution in America must read Thelin's classic text, which has distinguished itself as the most wide-ranging and engaging account of the origins and evolution of America's institutions of higher learning.

Full Product Details

Author:   John R. Thelin (University of Kentucky)
Publisher:   Johns Hopkins University Press
Imprint:   Johns Hopkins University Press
Edition:   third edition
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 4.00cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.839kg
ISBN:  

9781421428826

ISBN 10:   1421428822
Pages:   560
Publication Date:   28 May 2019
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order  
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

"Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: Historians and Higher Education 1. Colleges in the Colonial Era 2. Creating the ""American Way"" in Higher Education: College-Building, 1785 to 1860 3. Diversity and Adversity: Resilience in American Higher Education, 1860 to 1890 4. Captains of Industry and Erudition: University-Builders, 1880 to 1910 5. Alma Mater: America Goes to College, 1890 to 1920 6. Success and Excess: Expansion and Reforms in Higher Education, 1920 to 1945 7. Gilt by Association: Higher Education's ""Golden Age,"" 1945 to 1970 8. Coming of Age in America: Higher Education as a Troubled Giant, 1970 to 2000 9. A New Life Begins? Reconfiguring American Higher Education in the Twenty-first Century 10. Prominence and Problems: American Higher Education since 2010 Notes Essay on Sources Index"

Reviews

This is a splendid book, by far the best to appear on the subject since the 1962 publication of Frederick Rudolph's The American College and University: A History. John Thelin's work will supplant Rudolph's as the dominant overview of the history of American higher education. Comprehensive but not encyclopedic, Thelin's account is interspersed with lively anecdotes and a creative emphasis on cultural history that will keep the attention of readers. It is a tour de force. --Thomas G. Dyer, University of Georgia Destined to be the standard work in this area for years to come. --Journal of College Student Development Thelin offers an historical analysis of contemporary trends and issues in higher education today, e.g., access, affordability, accountability, and assessment. How colleges addressed those issues within different periods of time and societal contexts makes for a more enlightened image of higher education in the US as it exists today. --Choice Extremely well written and meticulously documented. --NACADA Despite its age, Rudolph's single-volume history has endured... Now John Thelin's A History of American Higher Education provides a worthy replacement. --History of Education Quarterly Fills a real need in the scholarship... Accessible and informative, providing a reasonable foundation on which to build a rich understanding of the development of American higher education. --Register of the Kentucky Historical Society Well written and engaging... retains the reader's attention... Thelin has raised the bar for historians of higher education to clear. --Facilities Manager Apart from being first-rate historical interpretation, Thelin's book offers several advantages that should make it attractive to the general reader as well as the scholar... His writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Part public policy analyst and part social historian, Mr. Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. He gives you the view from the administrative building, and he also tells you, often with accompanying photos, what students were like. --Lexington Herald-Leader A readable and concise introduction to this subject, it propels audience members to develop an appreciation for the heterogeneous... academe story as a whole. --Teachers College Record I do believe that the book is worthy of being the major new overview of US higher education. --Education Review

Destined to be the standard work in this area for years to come. -- James J. Rhatigan, Journal of College Student Development Despite its age, Rudolph's single-volume history has endured... Now John Thelin's A History of American Higher Education provides a worthy replacement. -- Jana Nidiffer, History of Education Quarterly Thelin offers an historical analysis of contemporary trends and issues in higher education today, e.g., access, affordability, accountability, and assessment. How colleges addressed those issues within different periods of time and societal contexts makes for a more enlightened image of higher education in the US as it exists today. -- Choice This book was extremely well written and meticulously documented. -- NACADA Writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. -- Art Jester, Record I do believe that the book is worthy of being the major new overview of U.S. higher education. -- Michael W. Simpson, Education Review Well written and engaging... retains the reader's attention... Thelin has raised the bar for historians of higher education to clear. -- Theodore J. Weidner, Faciities Manager A readable and concise introduction to this subject, it propels audience members to develop an appreciation for the heterogeneous... academe story as a whole. -- Todd C. Ream, Teachers College Record Fills a real need in the scholarship... Accessible and informative, providing a reasonable foundation on which to build a rich understanding of the development of American higher education. -- Julie A. Reuben, Register of the Kentucky Historical Society Apart from being first-rate historical interpretation, Thelin's book offers several advantages that should make it attractive to the general reader as well as the scholar... His writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Part public policy analyst and part social historian, Mr. Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. He gives you the view from the administrative building, and he also tells you, often with accompanying photos, what students were like. -- Art Jester, Lexington Herald-Leader This is a splendid book, by far the best to appear on the subject since the 1962 publication of Frederick Rudolph's The American College and University: A History. John Thelin's work will supplant Rudolph's as the dominant overview of the history of American higher education. Comprehensive but not encyclopedic, Thelin's account is interspersed with lively anecdotes and a creative emphasis on cultural history that will keep the attention of readers. It is a tour de force. --Thomas G. Dyer, University of Georgia Destined to be the standard work in this area for years to come. --Journal of College Student Development Thelin offers an historical analysis of contemporary trends and issues in higher education today, e.g., access, affordability, accountability, and assessment. How colleges addressed those issues within different periods of time and societal contexts makes for a more enlightened image of higher education in the US as it exists today. --Choice Extremely well written and meticulously documented. --NACADA A readable and concise introduction to this subject, it propels audience members to develop an appreciation for the heterogeneous... academe story as a whole. --Teachers College Record I do believe that the book is worthy of being the major new overview of US higher education. --Education Review Despite its age, Rudolph's single-volume history has endured... Now John Thelin's A History of American Higher Education provides a worthy replacement. --History of Education Quarterly Fills a real need in the scholarship... Accessible and informative, providing a reasonable foundation on which to build a rich understanding of the development of American higher education. --Register of the Kentucky Historical Society Well written and engaging... retains the reader's attention... Thelin has raised the bar for historians of higher education to clear. --Facilities Manager Apart from being first-rate historical interpretation, Thelin's book offers several advantages that should make it attractive to the general reader as well as the scholar... His writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Part public policy analyst and part social historian, Mr. Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. He gives you the view from the administrative building, and he also tells you, often with accompanying photos, what students were like. --Lexington Herald-Leader Well written and engaging... retains the reader's attention... Thelin has raised the bar for historians of higher education to clear.--Theodore J. Weidner Faciities Manager (01/01/2005) Destined to be the standard work in this area for years to come.--James J. Rhatigan Journal of College Student Development (01/01/2006) I do believe that the book is worthy of being the major new overview of U.S. higher education.--Michael W. Simpson Education Review (01/01/2004) Despite its age, Rudolph's single-volume history has endured... Now John Thelin's A History of American Higher Education provides a worthy replacement.--Jana Nidiffer History of Education Quarterly (01/01/2006) A readable and concise introduction to this subject, it propels audience members to develop an appreciation for the heterogeneous... academe story as a whole.--Todd C. Ream Teachers College Record Apart from being first-rate historical interpretation, Thelin's book offers several advantages that should make it attractive to the general reader as well as the scholar... His writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Part public policy analyst and part social historian, Mr. Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. He gives you the view from the administrative building, and he also tells you, often with accompanying photos, what students were like.--Art Jester Lexington Herald-Leader Fills a real need in the scholarship... Accessible and informative, providing a reasonable foundation on which to build a rich understanding of the development of American higher education.--Julie A. Reuben Register of the Kentucky Historical Society (01/01/2004) Apart from being first-rate historical interpretation, this book offers several advantages that should make it attractive to the general reader as well as the scholar... Part public policy analyst and part social historian, Mr. Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. He gives you the view from the administrative building, and he also tells you, often with accompanying photos, what students were like. -- Annapolis Capital Thelin offers an historical analysis of contemporary trends and issues in higher education today, e.g., access, affordability, accountability, and assessment. How colleges addressed those issues within different periods of time and societal contexts makes for a more enlightened image of higher education in the US as it exists today. -- Choice Despite its age, Rudolph's single-volume history has endured... Now John Thelin's A History of American Higher Education provides a worthy replacement. -- Jana Nidiffer, History of Education Quarterly Well written and engaging... retains the reader's attention... Thelin has raised the bar for historians of higher education to clear. -- Theodore J. Weidner, Faciities Manager Destined to be the standard work in this area for years to come. -- James J. Rhatigan, Journal of College Student Development This book was extremely well written and meticulously documented. -- NACADA Fills a real need in the scholarship... Accessible and informative, providing a reasonable foundation on which to build a rich understanding of the development of American higher education. -- Julie A. Reuben, Register of the Kentucky Historical Society A readable and concise introduction to this subject, it propels audience members to develop an appreciation for the heterogeneous... academe story as a whole. -- Todd C. Ream, Teachers College Record I do believe that the book is worthy of being the major new overview of U.S. higher education. -- Michael W. Simpson, Education Review Writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. -- Art Jester, Record

This book was extremely well written and meticulously documented. -- NACADA Writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. -- Art Jester, Record Destined to be the standard work in this area for years to come. -- James J. Rhatigan, Journal of College Student Development I do believe that the book is worthy of being the major new overview of U.S. higher education. -- Michael W. Simpson, Education Review Well written and engaging... retains the reader's attention... Thelin has raised the bar for historians of higher education to clear. -- Theodore J. Weidner, Faciities Manager A readable and concise introduction to this subject, it propels audience members to develop an appreciation for the heterogeneous... academe story as a whole. -- Todd C. Ream, Teachers College Record Despite its age, Rudolph's single-volume history has endured... Now John Thelin's A History of American Higher Education provides a worthy replacement. -- Jana Nidiffer, History of Education Quarterly Fills a real need in the scholarship... Accessible and informative, providing a reasonable foundation on which to build a rich understanding of the development of American higher education. -- Julie A. Reuben, Register of the Kentucky Historical Society Thelin offers an historical analysis of contemporary trends and issues in higher education today, e.g., access, affordability, accountability, and assessment. How colleges addressed those issues within different periods of time and societal contexts makes for a more enlightened image of higher education in the US as it exists today. -- Choice Apart from being first-rate historical interpretation, Thelin's book offers several advantages that should make it attractive to the general reader as well as the scholar... His writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Part public policy analyst and part social historian, Mr. Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. He gives you the view from the administrative building, and he also tells you, often with accompanying photos, what students were like. -- Art Jester, Lexington Herald-Leader This is a splendid book, by far the best to appear on the subject since the 1962 publication of Frederick Rudolph's The American College and University: A History. John Thelin's work will supplant Rudolph's as the dominant overview of the history of American higher education. Comprehensive but not encyclopedic, Thelin's account is interspersed with lively anecdotes and a creative emphasis on cultural history that will keep the attention of readers. It is a tour de force. --Thomas G. Dyer, University of Georgia Despite its age, Rudolph's single-volume history has endured... Now John Thelin's A History of American Higher Education provides a worthy replacement. --History of Education Quarterly Destined to be the standard work in this area for years to come. --Journal of College Student Development Fills a real need in the scholarship... Accessible and informative, providing a reasonable foundation on which to build a rich understanding of the development of American higher education. --Register of the Kentucky Historical Society Thelin offers an historical analysis of contemporary trends and issues in higher education today, e.g., access, affordability, accountability, and assessment. How colleges addressed those issues within different periods of time and societal contexts makes for a more enlightened image of higher education in the US as it exists today. --Choice Well written and engaging... retains the reader's attention... Thelin has raised the bar for historians of higher education to clear. --Facilities Manager Extremely well written and meticulously documented. --NACADA Apart from being first-rate historical interpretation, Thelin's book offers several advantages that should make it attractive to the general reader as well as the scholar... His writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Part public policy analyst and part social historian, Mr. Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. He gives you the view from the administrative building, and he also tells you, often with accompanying photos, what students were like. --Lexington Herald-Leader A readable and concise introduction to this subject, it propels audience members to develop an appreciation for the heterogeneous... academe story as a whole. --Teachers College Record I do believe that the book is worthy of being the major new overview of US higher education. --Education Review Well written and engaging... retains the reader's attention... Thelin has raised the bar for historians of higher education to clear.--Theodore J. Weidner Faciities Manager (01/01/2005) I do believe that the book is worthy of being the major new overview of U.S. higher education.--Michael W. Simpson Education Review (01/01/2004) Despite its age, Rudolph's single-volume history has endured... Now John Thelin's A History of American Higher Education provides a worthy replacement.--Jana Nidiffer History of Education Quarterly (01/01/2006) Destined to be the standard work in this area for years to come.--James J. Rhatigan Journal of College Student Development (01/01/2006) Apart from being first-rate historical interpretation, Thelin's book offers several advantages that should make it attractive to the general reader as well as the scholar... His writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Part public policy analyst and part social historian, Mr. Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. He gives you the view from the administrative building, and he also tells you, often with accompanying photos, what students were like.--Art Jester Lexington Herald-Leader A readable and concise introduction to this subject, it propels audience members to develop an appreciation for the heterogeneous... academe story as a whole.--Todd C. Ream Teachers College Record Fills a real need in the scholarship... Accessible and informative, providing a reasonable foundation on which to build a rich understanding of the development of American higher education.--Julie A. Reuben Register of the Kentucky Historical Society (01/01/2004) Apart from being first-rate historical interpretation, this book offers several advantages that should make it attractive to the general reader as well as the scholar... Part public policy analyst and part social historian, Mr. Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. He gives you the view from the administrative building, and he also tells you, often with accompanying photos, what students were like. -- Annapolis Capital Thelin offers an historical analysis of contemporary trends and issues in higher education today, e.g., access, affordability, accountability, and assessment. How colleges addressed those issues within different periods of time and societal contexts makes for a more enlightened image of higher education in the US as it exists today. -- Choice Fills a real need in the scholarship... Accessible and informative, providing a reasonable foundation on which to build a rich understanding of the development of American higher education. -- Julie A. Reuben, Register of the Kentucky Historical Society Despite its age, Rudolph's single-volume history has endured... Now John Thelin's A History of American Higher Education provides a worthy replacement. -- Jana Nidiffer, History of Education Quarterly A readable and concise introduction to this subject, it propels audience members to develop an appreciation for the heterogeneous... academe story as a whole. -- Todd C. Ream, Teachers College Record Well written and engaging... retains the reader's attention... Thelin has raised the bar for historians of higher education to clear. -- Theodore J. Weidner, Faciities Manager I do believe that the book is worthy of being the major new overview of U.S. higher education. -- Michael W. Simpson, Education Review Destined to be the standard work in this area for years to come. -- James J. Rhatigan, Journal of College Student Development Writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. -- Art Jester, Record This book was extremely well written and meticulously documented. -- NACADA

This is a splendid book, by far the best to appear on the subject since the 1962 publication of Frederick Rudolph's The American College and University: A History. John Thelin's work will supplant Rudolph's as the dominant overview of the history of American higher education. Comprehensive but not encyclopedic, Thelin's account is interspersed with lively anecdotes and a creative emphasis on cultural history that will keep the attention of readers. It is a tour de force. --Thomas G. Dyer, University of Georgia Despite its age, Rudolph's single-volume history has endured... Now John Thelin's A History of American Higher Education provides a worthy replacement. --History of Education Quarterly Destined to be the standard work in this area for years to come. --Journal of College Student Development Fills a real need in the scholarship... Accessible and informative, providing a reasonable foundation on which to build a rich understanding of the development of American higher education. --Register of the Kentucky Historical Society Thelin offers an historical analysis of contemporary trends and issues in higher education today, e.g., access, affordability, accountability, and assessment. How colleges addressed those issues within different periods of time and societal contexts makes for a more enlightened image of higher education in the US as it exists today. --Choice Well written and engaging... retains the reader's attention... Thelin has raised the bar for historians of higher education to clear. --Facilities Manager Extremely well written and meticulously documented. --NACADA Apart from being first-rate historical interpretation, Thelin's book offers several advantages that should make it attractive to the general reader as well as the scholar... His writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Part public policy analyst and part social historian, Mr. Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. He gives you the view from the administrative building, and he also tells you, often with accompanying photos, what students were like. --Lexington Herald-Leader A readable and concise introduction to this subject, it propels audience members to develop an appreciation for the heterogeneous... academe story as a whole. --Teachers College Record I do believe that the book is worthy of being the major new overview of US higher education. --Education Review

Despite its age, Rudolph's single-volume history has endured... Now John Thelin's A History of American Higher Education provides a worthy replacement. --History of Education Quarterly Destined to be the standard work in this area for years to come. --Journal of College Student Development Fills a real need in the scholarship... Accessible and informative, providing a reasonable foundation on which to build a rich understanding of the development of American higher education. --Register of the Kentucky Historical Society Thelin offers an historical analysis of contemporary trends and issues in higher education today, e.g., access, affordability, accountability, and assessment. How colleges addressed those issues within different periods of time and societal contexts makes for a more enlightened image of higher education in the US as it exists today. --Choice Well written and engaging... retains the reader's attention... Thelin has raised the bar for historians of higher education to clear. --Facilities Manager A readable and concise introduction to this subject, it propels audience members to develop an appreciation for the heterogeneous... academe story as a whole. --Teachers College Record This is a splendid book, by far the best to appear on the subject since the 1962 publication of Frederick Rudolph's The American College and University: A History. John Thelin's work will supplant Rudolph's as the dominant overview of the history of American higher education. Comprehensive but not encyclopedic, Thelin's account is interspersed with lively anecdotes and a creative emphasis on cultural history that will keep the attention of readers. It is a tour de force. --Thomas G. Dyer, University of Georgia Extremely well written and meticulously documented. --NACADA Apart from being first-rate historical interpretation, Thelin's book offers several advantages that should make it attractive to the general reader as well as the scholar... His writing is brisk, concise, and humorous... Part public policy analyst and part social historian, Mr. Thelin weaves a tight narrative that keeps moving. He gives you the view from the administrative building, and he also tells you, often with accompanying photos, what students were like. --Lexington Herald-Leader I do believe that the book is worthy of being the major new overview of US higher education. --Education Review

Author Information

John R. Thelin is a University Research Professor and a member of the Educational Policy Studies Department at the University of Kentucky. His many books include Essential Documents in the History of American Higher Education and Going to College in the Sixties.

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