Liberal education as a form of higher education is increasing globally even as it struggles for support and legitimacy in the USA. Its emergence and spread are only partially attributable to the growth in the tertiary sector worldwide: although the sharpest spike has been in Asia, new programs have opened in Western Europe, Russia and the Middle East. Why now? Why in a particular locale? What forms do these programs take, and why? This article uses concepts from organizational theory to argue that such programs are decoupled from economic ‘needs’, challenging the predominant explanations for the global growth. Complexity theories explain the uneven expansion and variability in approach, and offer insights for replication and/or critique. This theoretical analysis allows insight into the interplay and explanatory power of isomorphism and complexity, and suggests that studies of convergence should assess not only the form, but also the processes and substance of educational innovations.

中文翻译：

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全球通识教育：理论上的出现和变异

通识教育作为一种高等教育形式，在全球范围内不断增长，尽管它在美国努力争取支持和合法性。它的出现和扩散仅部分归因于全球第三产业的增长：尽管最大的高峰出现在亚洲，但西欧，俄罗斯和中东已经启动了新的计划。为什么现在？为什么在特定区域设置？这些程序采用什么形式，为什么？本文使用组织理论中的概念来论证，这些计划与经济“需求”脱钩，挑战了对全球增长的主流解释。复杂性理论解释了方法的不均衡扩展和可变性，并为复制和/或批评提供了见解。通过理论分析，可以深入了解同构和复杂性之间的相互作用和解释能力，