Letter to the Field

Harness the power of social movements

Recognize the power of activism in driving social, political, and educational transformations, and use it as a tool to create meaningful impact. Activism is more than protest. It is network and coalition building. Be a force for change; build lasting coalitions. "I learned much of what I know, what I've done over the years through, the social movements that I was involved in. I've always had a kind of a political social interest in my scholarship and work." - Phil "My dissertation was on student political activism, stemming from my own involvement in student political activism in the United States when I was a student, and at the time I got into it, there was really nobody doing serious research and analysis of that topic, especially in an international perspective." - Phil

Know the power of symbol

Understand the power of symbol in organizing people around important causes. "I noticed that the symbol that they were using, which was ubiquitous all over the place, the flags and all kinds of things was this, what's now called the peace symbol in this country." - Phil "I convinced them that this thing was much cooler and more, you know, more clear what it meant." - Phil

Emergence of the field

Ford Foundation support in the early years of the Center for International Higher Education (CIHE).

Founding of CIHE

Founding of the Center for International Higher Education (CIHE) at Boston College.

Global perspectives on higher education

"That first semester I took his course at the end of the semester, he did a slideshow of universities around the world." - Laura