Pragmatic idealism and academic autonomy: Stephen P. Duggan and the American model of international education, 1919–1946

Pragmatyczny idealizm i autonomia akademicka. Stephen P. Duggan i amerykański model edukacji międzynarodowej, 1919–1946

Abstrakt: In an era of deepening geopolitical rivalries and growing suspicion towards international exchange, when education diplomacy is increasingly viewed through the lens of national security or economic profit, the legacy of Stephen P. Duggan offers timely insight. As the founder and director of the Institute of International Education (IIE) from 1919 to 1946, Duggan led an ambitious effort to expand U.S. expertise and promote mutual understanding through academic and professional exchanges. His model of “pragmatic idealism” advocated proficiency in world affairs while navigating through a period marked by war, revolution, and American retreat into isolationism. Today, international education exchange programs face some of the same challenges, such as visa restrictions, suspicion of foreign influence, and declining public support. Yet, other elements further complicate the process, such as governmental interference in academic autonomy. These factors disrupt the original idea of enabling exchanges based on principles of academic freedom, with the dominant role of non-state actors. In the article, Duggan’s legacy of expanding American expertise in global affairs is based on a case study from East Central Europe. This example shows that Duggan’s work prefigured modern concepts of “soft power” and educational diplomacy. Duggan’s vision was neither utopian nor apolitical; it was grounded in the belief that durable peace and effective diplomacy begin with informed people-to-people ties. For these to be genuine and lasting, openness and partnership cooperation remain sine qua non.

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