Global Institutions' Interdisciplinary Research Commitments: A Mixed Methods Study Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Ghosh, Sowmya Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction, presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 30/09/2021 13:36:49 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/634311 GLOBAL INSTITUTIONS’ INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH COMMITMENTS: A MIXED METHODS STUDY by Sowmya Ghosh __________________________ Copyright © Sowmya Ghosh 2019 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL POLICY STUDIES & PRACTICE In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2019 3 Acknowledgements The journey leading up to my dissertation has been a deeply impressionable one. It was made possible first by the encouragement of my parents and several others along the way. I’m very grateful to my advisor, Dr. Jill Koyama, for her mentorship and leading by example. Her world-view, advocacy for the marginalized among us, has been a constant reminder of the progress we should continue to strive for - more kindness, generosity, inclusivity and believe that we are better when we come together against the odds. For all the countless lessons and your support, I cannot thank you enough, Jill. This dissertation would not be possible without the foresight and constant encouragement of Dr. Jenny Lee. At times when I doubted my ability to attempt this project, she believed in me more than I could. I consider myself incredibly lucky to work under her supervision on research projects as they have not only refined my research skills but has nurtured my ability to apply a critical lens to various topics and policies concerning leadership, international students and faculty. My approach to research design and confidence in applying quantitative methodology was also shaped by Dr. Erin Leahey and Dr. Ozan Jaquette. Had it not been for Dr. Jaquette's outstanding data management courses, I doubt I would have ever picked up coding. His wisdom on what it means to have ambition and tackling challenges with confidence is a lesson I carry with me. I'm very fortune to have Dr. Leahey on my committee not only because her expertise lends itself to the topic of my dissertation but also because her attention to detail has made a profound impact on the way I write and construct research questions. Special thanks to Dr. Bjørn Stensaker for inspiring the qualitative methodology of my dissertation. I carry with me the wisdom you imparted during your time in Arizona. Dr. Gary Rhoades - your mentorship 4 throughout my doctoral journey has guided me in more ways than I can count. Thank you for a masterclass in leadership. Many friends were generous with their time and gave me their valuable feedback on this project. Thanks to the students from Dr. Lee's HED 602 class - I learned so much from each of you. I'd like to express my gratitude to my friend Santiago for his insightful feedback on my research over the years, but most of all for his friendship. I continue to be in awe of your humility and brilliance. To Jen Merrill for being an outstanding example of a researcher and educator. Your friendship over the years has made such a difference to my life in the U.S. My 'oldest' and first friend in the U.S, Jenna Dellaccio - you mean more to me than I can express. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and constant support over the years. Caroline King, I owe you coffee and ice cream- thank you so much for your insights on my project. My friends who made life lived far away from home, as ‘homey’ as possible - Ellen, Karen and Azad. I’m fortunate to have you in my life. Finally, to the most important people in my life – my parents – who taught me the importance of good work ethic, love and generosity through all that they do for me. Mum and Dad - my life’s achievements are a reflection of your hard work. To the first feminist I got to know, my grandmother. Thank you for your wisdom and for always calling to remind me to meditate and live life fully. I hope to make you proud, Ammuma. And to my partner, who keeps telling me that I don't have to thank him for anything. I'll just say this - when I grow up, I want to be just like you. I treasure this life I get to witness with you by my side. 5 Table of Contents List of Figures .................................................................................................................. 7 List of Tables ....................................................................................................................... 7 Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 1: Introduction ..................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................................................ 15 IDR Definition .............................................................................................................. 16 IDR Benefits ................................................................................................................. 16 IDR Criticism and Challenges ...................................................................................... 18 IDR in the Global Scene ............................................................................................... 21 Global Rankings ............................................................................................................ 22 Strategic Plans ............................................................................................................... 23 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................. 25 Theory of Boundary Spanning. ................................................................................. 27 Theory of Middle Status Conformity. ....................................................................... 30 Chapter 3: Methods ........................................................................................................... 32 Preliminary Analysis ..................................................................................................... 33 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 34 Procedure and Data Source ........................................................................................... 36 Text Analysis ................................................................................................................. 44 6 Chapter 4: Results ............................................................................................................. 46 Study Part 1 ................................................................................................................... 47 Attract Faculty for IDR. ............................................................................................ 48 IDR to Benefit Students. ........................................................................................... 50 University Infrastructure. .......................................................................................... 53 Boundary-Spanning. ................................................................................................. 54 Increasing Diversity and Global Connection. ........................................................... 60 Middle Status Conformity. ........................................................................................ 62 Study Part 2 ................................................................................................................... 64 Results ....................................................................................................................... 66 WoS Database Findings ............................................................................................ 69 Application of Middle Status Conformity. ................................................................ 76 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 81 Chapter 5: Implications ..................................................................................................... 82 Limitations and Future Directions ................................................................................ 85 Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 88 Appendices ........................................................................................................................ 90 Appendix 1 .................................................................................................................... 90 Appendix 2 .................................................................................................................... 96 Reference .......................................................................................................................... 97 7 List of Figures Figure 1: Middle Status Conformity for Universities