Missions Impossible - by John Waterbury (Hardcover)
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<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><b>A rigorous examination of higher education policymaking in the Arab world</b> <p/>None of the momentous challenges Arab universities face is unique either in kind or degree. Other societies exhibit some of the same pathologies--insufficient resources, high drop-out rates, feeble contributions to research and development, inappropriate skill formation for existing job markets, weak research incentive structures, weak institutional autonomy, and co-optation into the political order. But, it may be that the concentration of these pathologies and their depth is what sets the Arab world apart. <p/> <i>Missions Impossible</i> seeks to explain the process of policymaking in higher education in the Arab world, a process that is shaped by the region's politics of autocratic rule. Higher education in the Arab world is directly linked to crises in economic growth, social inequality and, as a result, regime survival. If unsuccessful, higher education could be the catalyst to regime collapse. If successful, it could be the catalyst to sustained growth and innovation--but that, too, could unleash forces that the region's autocrats are unable to control. Leaders are risk-averse and therefore implement policies that tame the universities politically but in the process sap their capabilities for innovation and knowledge creation. The result is sub-optimal and, argues John Waterbury in this thought-provoking study, unsustainable. <p/> Skillfully integrating international debates on higher education with rich and empirically informed analysis of the governance and finance of higher education in the Arab world today, <i>Missions Impossible</i> explores and dissects the manifold dilemmas that lie at the heart of educational reform and examines possible paths forward.<p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br><p>"This is the most incisive and informative analysis of the crisis of higher education in the Arab world I have seen so far. Waterbury uses his firsthand knowledge of the sector and his in-depth knowledge of the political economy of the region to produce an astute and comprehensive analysis of the pathologies of the higher education systems in the Arab world and the available options for reform."--<b>Ragui Assaad, University of Minnesota</b></p> <p>"An acutely perceptive analysis of how quality of education has been a major challenge facing Arab countries since the 1960s, with profound impact on their social development and economic growth. John Waterbury brings a rare combination of expert knowledge of the sociology and politics of education and experience of higher education in both the Maghreb and the Mashriq to present us with data gathered during decades spent in the region and reasoned analyses and conclusions. A welcome reference work for those working in the field, be they academics or educational policy administrators."--<b>Wail Benjelloun, Mohammed V University in Rabat</b></p> <p>"As a former president of the American University of Beirut and a long-standing scholar in the field of Arab politics and public policy, John Waterbury has a unique perspective on the challenges faced by universities in the Arab world and the interplay among national policies, politics, and university development strategies or, oftentimes, survival struggles. This outstanding and insightful contribution can guide policymakers and university leaders all over the Middle East and North Africa in thinking more strategically as they seek to increase the relevance of their institutions to the development needs of Arab economies and societies."--<b> Jamil Salmi, Diego Portales University, Chile</b></p> <p>"This book offers an in-depth and comprehensive examination of the policy dilemmas facing Arab governments and universities as they seek to reform higher education. With a keen appreciation for both the weight of history and contemporary political realities, <i>Missions Impossible </i>is the first such study of higher education policymaking in the region that I know of. It will be a tremendous resource for scholars of the Middle East, comparative higher education, and policy studies alike."--<b> Elizabeth Buckner, University of Toronto</b> <p>[T]he higher education sector is a fascinating prism through which to observe both stagnation and change in the region, and there is no better guide than this book, which is vintage Waterbury: comprehensive, thought provoking, and often droll. --<b>Lisa Anderson, <i>Foreign Affairs</i></b> <p>"In this book, in which [Waterbury] covers examples from across the region, including Turkey and Iran, he weaves together a story of both politics and public/educational policy. In so doing, he alternates between wearing two different hats: that of the seasoned political scientist seeking to reveal the role of the state and that of the experienced academic administrator who has had to confront the very real obstacles to educational reform in the Middle East....The presentation is solid, and his proposed reforms would certainly be welcome."--<b>Laurie A. Brand, <i>Middle East Journal</i></b> <p>Drawing on his 40 years of studying the Middle East and his 10 years as president of the prestigious American University of Beirut, Waterbury provides a well-written, careful dissection of the challenges higher education faces in the poorer Arab countries...Recommended. All levels..--<b><i>CHOICE</b></i> <p>"[A]n impressive and meticulously detailed work of outstanding scholarship that will prove to be a particularly welcome addition to college and university library Middle Eastern Policy, Middle Eastern Political Economy, and Middle Eastern Higher Education collections and supplemental studies curriculums."--<b><i>Midwest Book Review</i></b><br>
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