AMERICAN EDUCATION GENAP/2022-

Dr. Didik Murwantono 2023

11 MARKET COMMODITIES AND HUMAN

CAPITAL: WHAT HAPPENED TO DEMOCRACY

AND SHARING OF KNOWLEDGE (1)

A. SUBJECT : AMERICAN EDUCATION

B. TIME : 2 X 50’ (2X)
C. GENERAL INTRUCTIONAL AIM : The students understand American Higher Education in the
market commodities and Human Capital
D. PARTICULAR INSTRUCTRIAL AIM : The student can explain American Higher education in line
with social, economic and politics in American Society.

Introduction
The second decade of the twenty-frst century has propelled many questions regarding the
role and purpose of higher education in the United States to the forefront of public discussion.
This decade faced the need to recover from an enormous economic collapse and changing
dynamics in wars abroad. Where does higher education ft into the resolution of such problems,
does that position make it an agent in the consolidation of national identity, and what is that
identity? This concluding chapter refects upon the Obama administration’s American Graduation
Initiative (2009) as not only a policy initiative that stands to have a profound impact on higher
education in the US, but also as a refection of the social purpose of higher education as an
institution charged with re-creating a stratifed national identity that has reduced its citizenry to
human capital as a means to maintain power in the global knowledge-based economy. Furthering
this position is the most recent federal initiative, America’s College Promise (2015), in which
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Dr. Didik Murwantono 2023

President Obama is calling for free community college education for qualifed students in an
effort to craft a workforce, educated with the tools to compete in a knowledge-based economy.
Higher education stands at a crossroads in the middle of the second decade of the twentyfrst
century—it can either create human and technological commodities, or it can serve the
traditional purpose of sharing knowledge freely for the beneft and perpetuation of a nation that
prides itself on the search for knowledge, equality, and justice among people.
Since 2009 when President Obama announced the American Graduation Initiative (AGI),
higher education as a means for economic advancement for the United States and its people has
been a focus of the Obama administration. The stakes for AGI were raised with the
announcement and subsequent presentation to Congress of Obama’s last higher education
initiative in 2015, America’s College Promise (ACP). The AGI and ACP are notable efforts
initiated by the President with the potential to have a profound impact on the economy, the
institution of higher education, and the public.
In January of 2015, President Obama announced America’s College Promise as a means
to continue the economic recovery and growth the US had experienced in 2014 (White House
2015); growth that created new jobs lowered the unemployment rate signifcantly and, as the
President noted, built a new foundation for the economy to prove that “America is coming back”
(2014, para. 7). In an effort to continue this economic growth and new foundation, Obama
(2014) asked the question, “How do we build on the progress that we’ve made?” (para. 14). His
answer: “helping every American afford a higher education” (Obama 2014, para. 15). Obama
(2014) supported this solution by arguing that higher education is the “ticket to the middle class”
and that the “middle class is the engine that powers America’s prosperity” (para. 13), and the
only way to make this a reality for a struggling lower class and other underrepresented
populations is to make the frst two years of community college education free.
Thus, the Obama administration focused on how higher education could meet the needs
of the nation—to elevate its status among nations, to bolster the economy, and to support the
citizens of the nation in attaining a higher education to better support themselves and make them
greater contributors to the market economy and the nation’s success. Through AGI and ACP, the
Obama administration aimed to solidify federal support and the federal role in the engagement of
higher education in meeting national goals. The question that remains to be answered is if
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these initiatives constitute a paradigm shift, and how impactful they will be on the function and
purpose of higher education in America in the second decade of the twenty-frst century

Higher education and national identity: 2009–2016

Obama’s American Graduation Initiative and the subsequent legislative proposal,
America’s College Promise, are at the center of his agenda regarding how higher education can
best support the nation’s identity. Placing a direct emphasis on the institution to fulfll this role is
not new; as evidenced, there are previous administrations that have deliberately made this
connection and used the offce of the presidency to further their interpretation of the nation’s
identity. President Obama situates himself among previous presidents who advocated for higher
education to serve a notable public, and often private at the same time, purpose, including the
ranks of Truman and Johnson.
President Obama’s two-term presidency faced multiple challenges from abroad and at
home. International conficts still underway from the previous administration and new and
renewed threats from terrorist regimes certainly occupied a prevalent position in the
administration’s agenda. But shortly after taking offce, President Obama was faced with
the greatest economic decline in recent American history. He had to quickly respond to the
housing and banking crisis that crippled the US economy in late 2008. Part of his plan to assist
the nation in its recovery was AGI; retooling skills to infuse the workforce and educating more
potential human capital to support the recovery of a devastated market. As the market improved
over the course of his frst term, in his second term, President Obama sought to strengthen the
position, role, and duty of higher education to continue to support the national agenda of
economic recovery and stability through ACP. To date, ACP is in Congress and its full impact is
yet to be determined. However still in its infancy, the initiative and legislation from this
administration has the potential to create a paradigm shift in higher education and make the role
of higher education in supporting national identity much more specifc and intentional.
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President obama, 2009–2016

Given the early challenges President Obama faced in his frst term, his agenda focused
very heavily on the enemies abroad that still posed a threat, although measurably different, to US
security and the recent economic decline. Reacting to the continued confict in the middle east
and the domestic economic constraints, Obama sought to position the US as superior to its
enemy, resilient in the face of struggle, and confdent in its ability to recover from international
and domestic challenges.
The Obama administration inherited the war that began during President Bush’s frst term
in offce; thus, in Obama’s early speeches this foe is addressed and the superiority of America
and its people are similarly defned. In his 2009 Inaugural Address, President Obama reinforces
this identity of superiority when he states:
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with
missiles and tanks but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They
understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we
please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use. Our security
emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering
qualities of humility and restraint. We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these
principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort,
even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to
responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan.
With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat
and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of
life, nor will we waver in its defense. And for those who seek to advance their aims by
inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is
stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. (Obama
2009c, paras. 17–18)
Although Obama’s agenda for the war differs from the Bush administration’s plans in this, he
does replicate the character values of the American public as well as the personifed nation-state.
He also pulls legitimation for the belief that the war will end with the US victorious from the
common past victories.
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The Obama administration, as it began its agenda to end the war in Afghanistan and Iraq,
focused on how the US would maintain superiority in a changed world, outside of its military
strength. The focus of American superiority was thus placed upon economic strength and, later,
the role of education in supporting or growing that strength. On July 7, 2010, Obama focused on
the superior economic status in the following statement:
We live in a interconnected world. There are global challenges and global
opportunities. This Nation has never shied away from the prospect of competition. We
thrive on competition. And we are better positioned than anybody—as uniquely
positioned as ever—to compete with anyone in the world. We’ve got the most
respected brands, the best products, the most vibrant companies in the world. We’ve
got the most productive workers in the world. We’ve got the fnest universities in the
world. We’ve got the most open, dynamic, and competitive market in the world. When
the playing feld is even, nobody can beat us. And we are upping our game for the
playing feld of the 21st century. (Obama 2010b, para. 39)
Keeping in touch with the competitive spirit of America and its people, President Obama
considers the role of education as very important to supporting America’s superior world status.
In the following excerpts, Obama explains the necessity for focusing on education as a means to
support America’s superior economic status. In this October 5, 2010 statement, Obama
announced the American Graduation Initiative. He states:
As far as I’m concerned, America does not play for second place, and we certainly
don’t play for ninth. So I’ve set a goal: By 2020, America will once again lead the
world in producing college graduates. And I believe community colleges will play a
huge part in meeting this goal by producing an additional 5 million degrees and
certifcates in the next 10 years. That’s why last year I launched the American
Graduation Initiative. I promised that we would end wasteful subsidies to big banks
for student loans, and instead use that money to make college more affordable and to
make a historic investment in community colleges. And after a tough fght, we passed
those reforms, and today we’re using this money towards the interest of higher
education in America. (Obama 2010e, paras. 12–13)

To support this initiative and the importance of education in maintaining US economic

superiority, Obama made the following statement days later on October 14, 2010:
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There are two steps in terms of education. And keep in mind that what has made
America the wealthiest, most successful country on Earth historically has been our
commitment to education. We started the public school system very early in the
century, and as a consequence we had more skilled workers than any nation on Earth,
which meant that we were more productive than any nation on Earth. We then made a
commitment, particularly after World War II with the GI bill, to massively expand our
commitment to college education, and that meant we had more engineers and we had
more scientists and that meant we had better technology, which meant that we were
more productive and we could succeed in the global marketplace. (Obama 2010c,
para. 35)

In December of 2010, Obama connects the importance of education in economic success to the
character of the American people and the personifed nation-state. President Obama stated on
December 6, 2010:
Now, I have no doubt we can win this competition. We are the home of the world’s
best universities, the best research facilities, the most brilliant scientists, the brightest
minds, some of the hardest working, most entrepreneurial people on Earth, right here
in America. It’s in our DNA. Think about it. People came from all over the world to
live here in the United States. That’s been our history. And those were the go-getters,
the risk takers who came here. The folks who didn’t want to take risks, they stayed
back home. Right? So there’s no doubt that we are well equipped to win.
(Obama 2010d, para. 21)
In this statement, the president establishes a common past to legitimate current initiatives; he
also uses inclusive pronouns to assure the individual members of society that they have a stake in
the economic prosperity and are as responsible in securing that position as the administration.
Continuing the theme of establishing a common past to inform the present and create an
inclusive agenda, Obama reinforces the importance of individuals’ contributions and role in
securing a prosperous future. He stated:
For more than two centuries, our Nation has grown under the simple
creed that each of us is created equal. It is a notion that makes America
unlike any other place on earth—a country where no matter where you
come from or what you look like, you can go as far as your talents will take
you. (Obama 2013c, para. 1)
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However important the establishment of a common past may be in securing support for an
economic agenda, Obama recognizes the challenges such a plan presents. He addresses this point
later that year:
Meeting those challenges will not be easy. But our history shows that when
we couple grit and ingenuity with our basic beliefs, there is no barrier we
cannot overcome. We can stay true to our founding creed that in America,
all things should be possible for all people. That spirit is what called our
mothers and grandmothers to fght for a world where no wall or ceiling
could keep their daughters from their dreams. And today, as we take on
the defning issues of our time, America looks to the next generation of
movers and marchers to lead the way. (Obama 2013c, para. 5)
By establishing the common past and alluding to a common future, and employing the deictic
‘we’ to include the administration and the public, Obama reinforces the importance of promoting
economic prosperity and the responsibility to all members of the nation-state in securing that
success. In addition, he does recognize that the nation itself, through the causal powers of the
administration, has a responsibility to facilitate this success; the economy cannot thrive, the
people cannot thrive, and education cannot thrive without the nation-state as an entity of power
behind it, a nation-state and its institutions he compares to the ‘other.’
But at every step of the way throughout our history, there have been instances where
government can be a partner in that progress: whether it’s creating infrastructure,
whether it’s fnancing the basic research that generates new products. That’s a role we
can play. We’ve got the most dynamic economy in the world, and we’ve got the best
businesspeople in the world and the best universities in the world. Let’s put them all
together and make sure they’re working to create more good jobs and more
opportunity for the American people. (Obama 2015b, para. 19)