The Great Upheaval: Higher Education’s Past, Present, and Uncertain Future
The Great Upheaval (2021, Johns Hopkins University Press) explores how American higher education is being reshaped by the powerful forces of technological innovation, globalization, and demographic change—echoing the transformation seen during the Industrial Revolution. As the U.S. transitions to a knowledge economy, colleges and universities face unprecedented challenges and opportunities.
Authors Arthur Levine and Scott Van Pelt take a broad, historical and cross-industry view to examine how higher education evolved and how it might adapt for an uncertain future. They ask:
What changes are coming, and how will they unfold?
Can institutions adapt, or will they be disrupted?
Will the industrial model be repaired or replaced?
Why is higher education more vital than ever?
Rather than prescribing a specific path forward, the book offers a clear-eyed analysis of the forces shaping higher education and outlines a practical agenda for action. It’s written for policymakers, educators, trustees, students, and anyone invested in the future of learning.
The Great Upheaval is available for purchase directly from the publisher and all major booksellers.
From Upheaval to Action: What Works in Changing Higher Ed
In From Upheaval to Action (2026, Johns Hopkins University Press), Arthur Levine and Scott Van Pelt offer a vital update on the shifting landscape of American higher education. Building on the insights of their bestselling book The Great Upheaval, this on-the-ground account of how institutions are responding to today's profound changes encapsulates two years of in-depth observation and conversation. Based on visits to more than sixty institutions and organizations—including colleges, state systems, accrediting bodies, and foundations—the authors provide an unflinching portrait of a sector navigating a complex, high-stakes transformation.
Colleges and universities are confronting the combined pressures of demographic realignment, economic strain, and technological disruption. They face challenges not only in attracting and retaining students, but also in remaining relevant in a world reshaped by automation, artificial intelligence, and the accelerating demands of a global knowledge economy. This book chronicles the successes and missteps of institutional responses while tracking new developments that have surged to the forefront, including the rise of alternative credentials, the redefinition of college affordability, renewed scrutiny of DEI initiatives, and growing political tensions around academic freedom and public trust.
From Upheaval to Action identifies areas of experimentation and change, spotlighting the creativity and resilience emerging within the sector. It examines what is being tried, what is proving effective, and what remains uncertain, offering essential insights into how today's decisions are shaping the colleges and universities of tomorrow. Transformation is already underway, and its outcomes will be shaped by those institutions prepared to meet it with purpose, flexibility, and courage.
From Upheaval to Action is available for purchase directly from the publisher and all major booksellers.
The Great Upheaval: A Reading Guide
Since publishing The Great Upheaval in 2021, I’ve been contacted by educators and higher ed groups interested in resources to help facilitate discussions in their classrooms, faculty and board retreats, and book clubs. I’m happy to share the resource linked here, which contains a list of topical questions for readers’ consideration, with the goal of sparking engaging conversations around the book's themes.