Universities and higher education in the United States since 1945

This special issue of the Annali di Storia delle Università Italiane is dedicated to the developments experienced by higher education institutions in the United States from 1945 to the most recent years, with a focus on crucial aspects of the system’s functioning, such as funding mechanisms, relations with the federal government and individual states, scientific and cultural output, and its connection to prevailing political trends. In addition, particular attention has been given to the social impact of higher education policies throughout the various phases of U.S. history, with a specific focus on dynamics concerning the student body. Lastly, a contribution has been dedicated to the "cultural foreign policy" of the United States, through a detailed investigation into the significant case study of the Rockefeller Foundation. All articles are written in English and are authored by some of the leading international experts on the subject.