الجامعات الأمريكية والوقف: الصيغة لا تزال ناجحة

Abstract EN

Since their founding, American universities have perpetuated a very particular tradition in terms of their structure, and their financial resources.

This article attempts to highlight the main characteristics that explain a successful historical path that propelled American universities to the top of the world rankings, especially after World War II.

The role of academic philanthropy will be highlighted as well as the connections between the economic boom that the United States has experienced since the 19th century.

In the first part, the article focuses on the beginnings and particularly on the role of religious communities in the formation of the first universities since the 17th century.

The second part will seek to clarify the possible relationships between culture, economy and philanthropy, in order to understand the impact of endowment foundations on education in general and university institutions in particular.

Within this historical context, Harvard University will be our ideal type, in the Weberian sense of the term, to better understand the structural bases of the American academic universe, and thus better understand the principles that govern its evolution.