Education and Development

This title explores the place of education in development debates and provides a systematic as well as a theoretical overview of the main approaches to education and development. It emphasises the fact that education is profoundly shaped by national and local cultures even if many issues are shared across institutions in different locations.

Education and Development discusses different theoretical accounts from different disciplinary traditions to help students understand the complexity of the overall debate. The text does not shy away from discussions of education’s negative impacts, and insists that an account of education must include consideration of early childhood development, adult, vocational and higher education, as well as the growing range of informal and distance forms. It includes chapters on human capital, human rights and human development, and on education, gender and development, and draws on examples from a wide range of countries and regions such as India, Hong Kong, Kenya and South Africa. The book has a well-developed pedagogy including text boxes, chapter summaries, key questions, links to websites and videos, and annotated further reading sections. Particular attention is paid to ensuring that a plurality of voices, contexts and educational sub-sectors are represented in the boxes, weblinks and references.

Education and Development provides an introductory overview to the field, aimed at the undergraduate level, while critically engaging with key themes and questions. The book will also be of interest to development practitioners, policymakers, entrepreneurs and corporate employees engaged in aspects of education and development work.

Simon McGrath is UNESCO Chair in International Education and Development at the University of Nottingham, UK.