The Fulbright Program in Algeria (2008-2016): Higher Education, Soft Power, and Transnational Intellectual Subjects

The Fulbright Program’s proclaimed mission is to increase mutual understanding between the U.S. and other countries, promote peace, innovation, creativity and knowledge that transcends borders. This study uses a transnational lens to examine the Algerian experience of the Fulbright Program and how the Algerian students—as transnational intellectual subjects—navigate multiple hegemonies, namely French and American soft powers in Higher Education (HE). I triangulate my argument by decentering American exceptionalism and situating the transnational subjectivity of Algerian intellectuals—rooted in the post-colonial and the subaltern in relation France. While U.S. imperialism has been historically overshadowed by France’s hegemony in Algeria, U.S. soft power within HE has recently expanded significantly in the country due to the increasing role of the U.S. embassy in Algeria targeting young individuals who are accustomed to strong HE colonial ties. This study contributes to the field of transnational American studies by focusing on Algeria—an understudied MENA region in relation to U.S. imperialism—positioning therefore the Algerian intellectuals’ subjectivity in transnational, post-colonial and global terms. Methodologically, I use ethnography as the main strategy of inquiry in addition to data derived from Algerian and American official institutions’ archives . I conducted eight in-depth interviews with former Algerian Fulbright students, as well as field observations of two events organized by the U.S. embassy in Algeria. This study concludes that 1) U.S. soft power in Algeria through HE is expanding rapidly but is still being undermined by the French-Algerian partnerships. 2) The transnational subjectivity of Algerian intellectuals has been long established, but since 2008 the Fulbright Program in Algeria is fostering complex/new interpretations of American exceptionalism and U.S. soft power which is neither unidirectional nor merely imposed or adopted but is slowly questioning the French hegemony in Algeria. 3) Most Algerian Fulbright grantees find it very difficult to reintegrate the Algerian work force and end up seeking opportunities abroad, limiting thus the impact of the Fulbright Program objectives, which also creates a transnational brain drain.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Kansas

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Cheddadi, Saoussen Nour El Imen

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Tucker, Sherrie

• American studies
• Algeria
• Fulbright
• Higher Education
• Intellectual subject
• soft power
• Transnational

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright held by the author.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

http://dissertations.umi.com/ku:16288

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kuscholarworks.ku.edu:1808/37281