The

National University
NEX BENGSON
[CHRISTOPHER NEX BENGSON BEÑAS]
The National University

 Overview of Research Agenda

 The Concept of the National University

 Theoretical Discussion
 Conceptual Study
 Early Results
National University, c’est quoi?
National University, c’est quoi?

Is there such a thing or Why and how did it Does it matter and
is it just a name? come about? how?

Clarify the Concept and Identify Macrostructural Illuminate Relationships with

Differentiate it with other Factors and Trends Locally and National Identity, Faculty
Organizational Models in Transnationally to Ascertain the Research Agendas, and
Higher Education Concept’s Historical Origins Organizational Behavior
and Global Evolution
The Concept of the
National University

conceptual study
 NATIONALISM
 Mylonas & Tudor (2021):
 Nation congruent with the State.
 Product of industrialization, urbanization, and mass
education.
The
 Distinction between ethnic and
Concept of the civic nationalism.
National University  Socially constructed identities through discourse,
symbols, organizations, et al.
 Imagined Community (Anderson, 1983)
Theoretical Discussion

NATIONALISM, its OBJECTS, and IDENTITY

Conceptual Study  e.g. Flags, Flowers, Epics, Heroes, Sports Teams,
Organizations
Early Results  Variability in meaning and strength across the nature of
the symbols could explain how/why national identity is
fluid.
E.g. Tomlinson & Young (2006)
on how global sports events articulate
national identity.
 APPENDAGES of the NATION-STATE
 National Library – distinct functions
e.g. Italian Central Libraries in Florence and Rome by
The Arduini, Pizzi, and Moore (1990).
Concept of the  National Universities
National University become symbols within global uni rankings and are
spent on with excellence initiatives.
Applying analogy of sports teams, look at admissions
Theoretical Discussion at “elite” universities.

Conceptual Study VANTAGE POINTS for an ORG’L CATEGORY

 Organizational Saga (Clark, 1972)
Early Results
 Institutional Logics (Thornton, Ocasio, and
Lounsbury, 2012)
 Organizational Identity (Stensaker, 2015)
 Questions / Aims
1. What meanings could be attributed to the term
“national university”?
substantive content
The
thematic analysis
Concept of the
National University
2. How did these meanings develop?
thematic factors
Theoretical Discussion
textual analysis

Conceptual Study
Significance
Early Results  Establish empirical foundations.
 Contrast with other theoretical org’l models (Flagship,
Civic, World-class, et al.).
 Sampling of organizations for
later analyses.
 Data
The  Digital Corpora in English (Google Books)
Concept of the  1800 – 2019
National University
Output
Theoretical Discussion  Concept’s “Career”
 Landmark sources.
Conceptual Study
 Textual Analysis
 Developmental factors.
Early Results
 Concept System Map
 Empirically-supported themes.
 League of Nations
United Nations

End of
European Pax Britannica
Revolutionary Wave
1848
Congress of
Vienna.
Atlantic
Independence

“national university” in Digital English Corpora, 1800 - 2019

Source data on Google Books. Figure from Google Ngram (smoothing = 8).