Social Justice and International Education: Research, Practice, and Perspectives brings together a group of educators, scholars, and practitioners in the field of international education who are doing important and innovative work promoting social justice, confronting inequality, and fostering social responsibility in a global context. The book does not operate on a singular definition of social justice; rather, the authors describe their own working definition and how it has guided their international education work. Divided into three parts, the book explores social justice research, social justice in practice, and different perspectives from practitioners across the field.

This volume examines the complex role of international education exchange in promoting peace and intercultural understanding. The perception that international education encourages greater understanding and cooperation between, people, cultures, and nations continues to drive participation and resources to this growing sector. With thought-provoking theoretical discussions and a broad range of case studies, this volume provides a much needed critical exploration of the ways in which international education exchanges may impact individuals as well as broader issues of global peace and development.

The U.S.-China educational exchange began auspiciously after a 30-year hiatus in 1978 when Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping announced his strategic decision to send 5,000 students and scholars from China each year to further their education. 1 Then-U.S. President Jimmy Carter famously responded, “Tell him to send 100,000.” This was the launch of educational exchange as a core pillar of the U.S.-China relationship. Until the 40th anniversary of the normalization of U.S.-China relations and U.S.-China educational exchange in 2019, there was general agreement that the exchange of students and scholars benefited both countries. There was recognition that the enormous increase in personal interaction and friendships — and knowledge about each other’s society, culture, economy, and government — strengthened understanding, trust, and cooperation. At a time when U.S.-China relations are at its lowest point since the normalization of relations, the benefits of educational exchange are being questioned, if not under assault. Few could have predicted that Chinese students would be weaponized by both sides, caught up in the political and security disputes between the two governments. A trade war, political tensions, concerns about academic espionage and influence operations, rising incidents of anti-Asian hate, and a global pandemic have created a perfect storm to stir up distrust as well as retaliatory measures that restrict student mobility on both sides of the Pacific. After years of fast growth, the number of Chinese students and researchers coming to the U.S. has slowed. China is still the largest source of international students in the U.S., accounting for about one-third of the total, but America’s appeal is weakening. Is this shift toward declining numbers an overdue correction to better protect America against academic espionage and influence operations and prevent China from capitalizing on American know-how to accelerate its own progress? Or is this decline in numbers an unnecessary and damaging hit on American universities’ preeminent position in global higher education and its open science model, leading to loss of U.S. competitiveness and international prestige? This report more broadly, is an attempt to discern the benefits, risks, and challenges of U.S.-China educational exchange and determine how educational exchange can advance the interests of both the U.S. and China going forward.

Weakened by two Opium Wars and a succession of internal rebellions in the mid-1800s, China’s imperial leaders made a historic decision—to break a tradition of isolation and seek education outside the homeland’s borders. In time, an acquisition of science and technology from the rapidly-industrializing West would enable China to modernize its still-feudal economy and outdated military, thus restoring stability and establishing protection from future foreign encroachment. Today more than 200,000 Chinese are enrolled in colleges and universities across the United States, while the number of Americans choosing to study in China is rising. As we approach mid-century China is assuming a lofty position of world leadership. This book does not attempt to debate or determine the extent to which higher education exchange with the United States has impacted China’s rise . Instead it focuses on the story itself—of Sino-American education trade from its roots in antiquity to the present time—highlighting the people, programs, trials and triumphs that have wrought its extraordinary history. It will offer the first sequential, historically grounded book-length review of Sino-American education exchange that takes the story from its origins to the present day.

This book offers a comprehensive analysis of international higher education and soft power as cultural diplomacy, through a study of Morocco and South Korea. It draws on extensive original research to explore the social, political, and economic factors that have shaped the international standing of both countries in terms of higher education. The research reveals the importance of higher education in promoting soft power and the role of international universities in enhancing the international reputation of a country. The book's key findings demonstrate the impact of soft power as cultural diplomacy on international relations and the contribution it makes to research in the field of international higher education.

Over the past two decades, international cooperation in higher education has become the norm in China and around the world. To exemplify these relationships, this edited volume devotes individual chapters to case studies of China-U.S. international higher education partnerships focused on 1) Collaborative graduate programs; 2) Research collaborations; 3) Student mobility; 4) Multi-institution collaborations; 5) Cultural exchanges; and 6) Branch campuses. These case studies will illuminate the strategies, challenges, and perceived benefits of cross-national collaboration. Case studies are bookended with introductory and concluding chapters that link cooperative activities to theory on diplomacy (including Western “soft diplomacy” and Chinese five principles of “peaceful coexistence” narratives); internationalization of higher education; and reflections on student and scholar mobility between Chinese and US institutions.