We live in a de-globalizing world. The United States and China each privilege self-interest over common concerns. Mutual paranoia has taken precedence over mutual benefit. Each country imagines a future of greater “self-sufficiency” even if neither has ever gained from it. What does this mean for the world of universities? For the world of shared research and learning?  Empires of Ideas, published in July 2022. My new book, Empires of Ideas, asks this question: if German universities defined global standards in the 19th century; and if American universities — learning from their German tutors — came to lead the global rankings by the end of the 20th century; are Chinese universities — having taken lessons from both Europe and America (with a bit of Soviet seasoning) — poised to lead the 21st century? Higher education is one industry in which the U.S. is still number one. Will China threaten American primacy? Very possibly. After all, China is home to more of t