International Branch Campuses: A Multi-Paradigmatic Analysis of University Discourse
Open AccessThe world is an increasingly interconnected body; higher education has not been immune to the charms of globalization. Both on their domestic and international branch campuses, universities must reconcile their organizational mission and institutional vision with the new possibilities and obstacles presented by a globalized community. The researcher conducted a qualitative study to explore this intersection of globalization and higher education. Globalization has proved to be a motivating force for higher education institutions; no longer are they limited by national boundaries. The researcher's study aimed to answer the following research question: What does a multi-paradigmatic analysis of textual artifacts reveal about the international expansion of U.S. universities? The study sought to determine the relationship between mission statements, strategic plans, and the international expansion programs of U.S.-based higher education institutions. While mission statements set the historic tone for the institution, strategic plans embody the institutional culture and values while making a statement about where the university wants to go. The subjectivist study utilized multi-paradigmatic inquiry, as developed by Kezar and Dee (2011), to provide a more comprehensive understanding of written institutional documentation. In doing so, the researcher applied multiple lenses to the textual artifacts, reflecting the interpretive, critical, and postmodern theoretical perspectives. Each of these perspectives had a corresponding methodology - hermeneutics, ideological criticism, and deconstruction, respectively - that culminated in the universal application of the discourse analysis method. In analyzing the institutional documentation for three universities - Georgetown University, Carnegie Mellon University, and New York University - using multi-paradigmatic inquiry, the researcher was able to determine that the official discourse around internationalization is entirely positive with no acknowledgement of the difficulties or risks that future expansion may cause. The notion of internationalization is presented as being both inevitable and in an institution's best interest; yet, universities are reluctant to formally alter their institutional culture and identity to incorporate these new perspectives. While multiple voices contributed to the creation of these textual artifacts, there was only one voice represented in the globalization discourse, setting a dangerous precedent as institutions prioritize neoliberal principles over traditional educational values.
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