Globalisation and Education Reforms: Paradigms and Ideologies (Globalisation, Comparative Education and Policy Research, 19)

This book explores the interrelationship between ideology, the state, and education reforms, placing it in a global context. It examines some of the major education reforms and policy issues in a global culture, particularly in light of recent shifts in quality and standards-driven education, and policy research. The book critiques the neo-liberal ideological imperatives of current education and policy reforms, and illustrates the way the shifts in the relationship between the state and education policy affect current trends in education reforms and schooling globally. 

With this as its focus, the book’s individual chapters highlight hand-picked scholarly research on major discourses in the field of comparative education. A compendium of the very latest thinking on the subject, the book – like the other volumes in the series – offers a state-of-the-art sourcebook for researchers, practitioners and policymakers alike. 

Not only do the chapters offer a timely overview of current issues affecting comparative education and education policy research in what is now a global educational culture; they also outline future directions that education and policy reforms could take. By doing so, they provide a comprehensive picture of the intersecting and diverse discourses of globalisation and policy-driven reforms in education. 

Individual chapters critically assess the dominant discourses and debates on education and policy reforms. Using diverse comparative education paradigms from critical theory to historical-comparative research, they address globalisation, ideology and democracy and examine both the reasons for and outcomes of education reforms and policy change. As such, they provide an informed critique of models of quality and standards-driven education reforms that are informed by Western dominant ideologies and social values.

Joseph Zajda is associate professor in the Faculty of Education and Arts at the Australian Catholic University (Melbourne Campus). He specialises in globalisation and education policy reforms, social justice, history education and values education. He has written and edited 32 books and over 150 book chapters and articles in the areas of globalisation and education policy, higher education and curriculum reforms. He is also the editor of the 24-volume book series Globalisation, Comparative Education and Policy Research (Springer, 2009 & 2018). Recent publications include the following: Zajda, J. (2016) (Ed.). Globalisation, ideology and politics of education reforms. Dordrecht: Springer, Zajda, J. & Rust, V. (Ed.) (2016). Globalisation and Higher Education Reforms. Dordrecht: Springer, Zajda, J. (2015). (Ed.). Second International Handbook of Globalisation, Education and Policy Research. Dordrecht: Springer. He edits World Studies in Education, Curriculum and Teaching and Education and Society for James Nicholas Publishers. His works are found in 265 publications in 4 languages and 9,105 university library holdings globally. He was awarded ARC Discovery Grant ($315,000) Globalising studies of the politics of history education: a comparative analysis of history national curriculum implementation in Russia and Australia (with A. Taylor, Monash University, 2011–2015). He was elected as fellow of the Australian College of Educators (June 2013).