The political economy of ‘open regionalism’ and education in small (and micro) states: the construction of the Caribbean Educational Policy Space in CARICOM

In this era of amplified regionalisation, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean's (ECLAC) conceptualisation of ‘open regionalism’ is pertinent to examine the role of regional governance mechanisms in constructing what I call the Caribbean Educational Policy Space. With the aid of a latent content analysis of policy documents that focuses on the current wave of regionalism within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, I argue that open regionalism is the instrument that facilitates the expansion of education into a regional tradable commodity that is embedded and linked to the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME). I suggest that open regionalism can be further finessed to consider the modalities that make the operationalising of the integrative project possible. In essence, open regionalism is used as a governance framework by CARICOM's states to enact national educational reform. I conclude by arguing that open regionalism is an approach that is driven by the knowledge-based economy, premised upon innovation and inventiveness, which facilitates regional entry into hemispheric relations, and focused on the deepening global relations.     

依附论视野中的拉美区域主义

拉丁美洲地区是区域主义发展较为典型的地区。依附论是一种主要由拉美学者发展起来的研究发展中国家如何在世界经济体系中实现自身发展的经济学理论。拉美区域主义从兴起到衰落,从衰落到再度勃兴,都受到不同形态的依附理论的深刻影响。依附论的历史演进和拉美区域主义的发展变化密切相关,依附论的警示,在某种程度上也揭示了拉美新区域主义存在的问题和面临的挑战。     

Globalisation and the Politics of Accountability: Issues and dilemmas for gender equity in education

This article considers issues of accountability for gender reform in education given changing state formations accompanying globalisation processes and pressures. It is argued that globalisation processes work in contradictory ways. Hence, while market liberal ideologies and practices underpinning economic globalisation threaten to undermine gains which have been achieved in gender equity in education, there may be possibilities for a feminist engagement with processes of political globalisation to assist the project of gender reform. Examples will be drawn from the Australian experience but, if globalisation theorists are correct, should have broader applicability.     

Ecological and intercultural citizenship in the primary English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom: an online project in Argentina

This article describes an online intercultural citizenship project concerning the environment in the primary English-language classroom carried out in 2013/2014 between Argentina and Denmark. It is part of a network of projects coordinated by Michael Byram that involves teachers and researchers in Europe, the US and East Asia. The project is framed within the theory of intercultural citizenship in the foreign-language classroom and it is the only study set in the primary school context. Furthermore, developments in Latin America in this field are scarce and the study intends to fill an empirical gap. Although the comparative perspective is ingrained in the project, the article describes mainly the Argentinian standpoint.

At the same time, and more generally (beyond language education), it will be argued, and shown, that the project can also be framed within the notion of ecological citizenship, understood as a new form of citizenship that presents new challenges to educators. While the notion of citizenship in formal education usually assumes nationalist and patriotic mindsets, in this project ecological citizenship offers a new framework that introduces an international, transnational or global perspective. Furthermore, citizenship education tends to be reserved to secondary civics and social studies classrooms and in this sense the focus on the primary school context and on the foreign-language classroom is innovative in this project.     

Globalisation and science education: the case of Sustainability by the Bay

It is impossible to consider contemporary science education in isolation from globalisation as the dominant logic, rethinking and reconfiguring social and cultural life in which it is located. Carter (J Res Sci Teach 42, 561–580, 2005) calls for a close reading of policy documents, curriculum projects, research studies and a range of other science education texts using key concepts from globalisation theory to elucidate the ways in which globalisation shapes and is expressed within science education. In this paper, we consider an example from our own practice of a school-based curriculum project, Sustainable Living by the Bay, as one such instance. The first section reviews neoliberalism and neoconservativism necessary to understand how globalisation penetrates education, while the second outlines aspects of the curriculum project itself. As there were many different facets to the development and implementation of a project like Sustainable Living by the Bay, there is space only to elaborate two examples of the globalisation discourse. The first example concerns the government policy initiative that funded the project while the second example focuses on learner- centred pedagogies as globalisation’s pedagogies of choice.     

Planning,re-bordering and setting times: a comparative analysis of European and Latin American ‘education spaces’

The article compares educational regionalisation in Europe and Latin America. This analysis unveils the influence of three social phenomena in the two case studies, namely power, fields of activity and knowledge. Mostly, it focuses on the initiatives led by the European Union and the Organisation of Ibero-American States in order to implement large strategic, multi-government educational plans in each continent. The actions of international political players, the theories (or ‘ontologies’) embedded in these devices and the consequences for sub-national politics are observed.     

Re-inventing the Historical in Comparative Education: Reflections on a protean episteme by a contemporary player

It has been said, not in jest, that while the future may be predictable, the past is unpredictable. This essay first constructs yet another, but hopefully different, historical overview of the episteme of comparative education in the USA, the American comparative proteus (after the Greek mythical sea-god who, according to the Oxford English Dictionary , would assume different shapes and appearances 'to avoid answering questions'). The focus of the second section is a comparative view of the British comparative proteus. In both cases, the analysis is focused on the epistemological-cum-methodological orientations of the two 'comparative educations'. It is argued that in the period after the 1960s the two proteuses were metamorphosed from essentially being historical to social scientific. In the third section it is argued that this metamorphosis has impoverished the field, and a call is made for the re-invention of the historical dimension in comparative education. It is further argued that the reclamation of the historical legacy, among other things, would help to humanise comparative education in a cosmos of economic globalisation and instrumental rationality.     

The rise of the transnational capitalist class and World Bank 'aid' for higher education

This article looks at globalisation as a process of replacement of the global political order of nation states with the global economic order of transnational corporations. It is argued that this process carries far-reaching consequences, in which a growing number of spheres, including education, are subjected to the interests of the global economic order. Under the disguise of global economic development activities the new world system strives towards maximising the short-term profits of the transnational capitalist class. Following Sklair's global systems theory, this article looks at the World Bank as a transnational organisation. Based on recent World Bank higher education reform loan projects in Eastern Europe, it is argued that the primary outcome of the World Bank loan projects is the redistribution of the resources of the so-called 'recipient countries' to the transnational capitalist class.     

The impact of globalisation on qualitative research in comparative and international education

This is a revised version of the 2003 British Association for International and Comparative Education (BAICE) Presidential Address delivered at the 7th Oxford International Conference on Education and Development. The processes of globalisation have been viewed by some as a major threat to the qualitative research tradition in education. Two main aspects of the impact of globalisation on qualitative research are addressed here. Firstly, it is argued that given the vital role of culture in mediating global policies at different levels, qualitative research still has a very important role to play. Secondly, it is argued that the knowledge and information revolution associated with globalisation has created an increasingly positivist climate that represents both a challenge for, and a challenge to, comparative education as it is currently conceived—particularly in the UK. This is illustrated by the growing international interest in systematic review methodology and its associated privileging of quantitative research strategies, such as randomised controlled trials, in evidence‐based policy.     

Globalisation,Post-modernity and the State: Comparative education facing the third millennium

In this article, the implications for globalisation and Post-modernity are assessed in terms of the self-understanding and practice of comparative education, particularly in relation to contemporary theories of the state, and civil society. It is argued that, while globalisation and post-modernity are usually seen as discrete phenomena, each raises complex questions of difference and hybridity, power and collective action, which can no longer be seen in relation to the nation-state alone. Different meanings of globalisation are canvassed, based in part on Sklair's taxonomy, while examples of the impact of globalisation, especially on higher education, are given. The implications of post-modern thought are also analysed, particularly for research and understanding in comparative education. Referring to Putnam's work on civil society, it is argued that both globalisation and post-modernity are linked to changes in the nature of late capitalism, and crises in the modern state. It is finally argued that neither offers much in practice to the much needed renewal of democracy, including in education; indeed that both arguably contribute to a trend towards individualism, and a retreat from democratic engagement and visions of the social good.     

拉美高等教育一体化建设:目标、路径及困境——联合国教科文组织参与区域治理的视角

联合国教科文组织在推动发展中国家高等教育发展中所起的作用越来越重要,参与跨国层面、区域层面的治理工作日渐频繁.拉丁美洲一直是教科文组织重点关注的区域,1997年,教科文组织特别成立了拉丁美洲及加勒比地区国际高等教育研究所,致力于完善该区域高等教育体系,提高高等教育质量,鼓励高等教育系统专业人员流动等,缩短拉美国家与发达国家的差距,推动该地区高等教育一体化的发展.联合国教科文组织在推动拉丁美洲高等教育一体化建设取得一定成效的同时,存在资金不足、政策实施不力、对不同地区支持不均衡等问题.此外,在拉丁美洲高等教育一体化建设过程中,拉美国家还应该进一步改善自我认同缺失、凝聚力不足、国别异质性显著等自身问题.     

The spread of targeted educational policies in Latin America: global thesis and local impacts

This article analyses the new educational mandate for Latin America, exploring its repercussions on the design and development of certain educational policies. In particular, it concentrates both on the anti‐poverty educational agenda (at a global level) and on targeted educational policies (at a regional, national and local level), analyzing, on one hand, their interaction and, on the other, their limits, opportunities and omissions. Within this framework, the article is organised as follows. First, it presents the current anti‐poverty educational agenda, analysing its thesis and foundations. Second, it discusses the repercussions of this agenda on Latin America, explaining the emergence, spread and logic of action of targeted educational policies. The third and fourth sections focus on a particular model of educational targeting, initially explaining the features of the programme (called Bolsa Escola) and then presenting an assessment of its impacts from an educational standpoint. Finally, to conclude, it analyses the shortcomings and omissions of both targeted educational policies and the global anti‐poverty agenda.     

Latin American Universities: From an Original Revolution to an Uncertain Transition

The aim of this paper is to discuss the prospects of Latin American public universities. Its main assertion is that universities could become important actors of development in Latin America, but prevailing trends point in another direction. The paper focuses on the interactions between, on the one hand, specific traditions and social contexts, and, on the other hand, global trends concerning the role of knowledge and academic changes. The specific traits of the evolution of Higher Education in Latin America are discussed, in order to describe the emergence of an original ‘idea of University’. Changes and continuities during the last decades of the 20th century are summarized. Similarities and differences between developed countries and Latin America concerning current trends in Higher Education are analyzed. Particular attention is given to the interactions between what is happening in Latin American universities and the new insertion of the continent in the global economy. A prospective analysis is attempted, focusing on the social commitment of universities.     

Critical success factors: How one multinational company develops global e‐learning

This research study examined how a multinational company determined what the critical success factors (CSFs) were for developing global e‐learning. The study analyzed how these CSFs were grouped together to make their management more efficient. There were 21 participants in the study who were key stakeholders from the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The results demonstrated that not all CSFs were deemed critical for every program and that what were considered CSFs early in the project often changed by the end of the project. In addition, the study showed that grouping the CSFs into common categories allowed the program development stakeholders to be more consistent and thorough in their ability to manage and address those CSFs throughout the project. Finally, the results demonstrated that for the study company, the best way to manage CSFs was to expand existing best practices and standard operating procedures to address global CSFs.     

Globalisation,Effectiveness and Improvement

It is argued that globalisation is imposing pressures upon the nature of education, internationally. A case is made that school effectiveness research has contributed to these global pressures but should be concerned to establish more knowledge about the complex interactions between culture and schooling. A series of questions are asked about the extent to which schools of the future should be different from historic models, and about the potentially important role of educational researchers in furthering education advance and building a more just society.     

Cinderella and the search for the missing shoe: Latin American adult education policy and practice during the 1990s

This article examines the main trends in adult education policy in Latin America during the 1990s. During this period, in spite of the commitments made by national governments in Jomtien in 1990 and ratified in Dakar in 2000, adult education in Latin America has been marginalized and neglected, both in terms of public policy and public funding. This paper raises different hypotheses in order to explain this dynamic and the variety of strategies that have been proposed to garner support for the field. Adult education in Latin America is now at a crossroads, and the collective search for its mission, purpose and identity is as urgent as ever. In discussing the revitalization of adult education in Latin America, the debates undertaken in the region by governmental and non-governmental organizations in the preparation for and in the follow-up to the 1997 Hamburg International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA V) are described. In the final section, after summarizing the main issues and achievements, the article outlines several challenges for the future.     

Private Higher Education and Diversity: An Exploratory Survey

In this preliminary review, the authors analyse the effects of privatisation on diversity in higher education (HE) systems by exploring the consequences of the establishment of HE Institutions by non-public organisations. The rising importance of privatisation in Europe (Western and transitional economies), Latin America, and Southeast Asia is analysed. Then follows detailed examinations of private-sector HE in countries representative of all these geographical areas to determine how far privatisation has stimulated diversity. The preliminary results indicate that in each case the private sub-sector has promoted limited and partial diversification. In general, though, the more recent private establishments, created to satisfy increasing demand for HE, have nonetheless focused predominately on teaching, have undertaken little, or no, research and appear to be of lower quality than the older institutions. The private sub-sector is characterised mostly by its low-risk behaviour, and a concentration on low-cost and/or safer initiatives. Public authorities must share at least a partial responsibility for some of the negative side effects of the development of private higher education.     

The Impact of the Bologna Process in Ibero-America: prospects and challenges

The Bologna Process is one of the major developments to have taken place in higher education in recent centuries. It has had an impact beyond European borders and repercussions in other parts of the world. Ibero-America has also sat up and taken note, even though scholars agree that there would be difficulties with its direct implementation in the region. Specialised opinions like these might suggest the initiative could not be implemented elsewhere. There can be no doubt, however, about the influence of the Bologna Process. On the one hand, the European Union has promoted and sponsored projects which involve transferring specific instruments (like Tuning) to the Ibero-American region. On the other, Latin America faces integration and globalisation challenges that are similar to Europe's and these, in turn, call for the development of approaches and instruments that will facilitate academic mobility and increase the transparency of degrees and qualifications. The recent impetus injected by the Ibero-American Summits into the Ibero-American Knowledge Space also seeks to help build common ground in higher education, scientific research and technological development.     

Different discourses,discourses of difference: Globalisation,distance education and open learning

Post‐Fordism and globalisation are trends in the contemporary world in which the role of the market and consumer are given greater centrality. It has been argued that these trends have consequences of spreading ‘Western’ lifestyles and values around the globe, encouraging cultural uniformity, while also giving greater importance to senses of the local and place, encouraging cultural difference. Drawing on Foucault's notion of discourse, this paper suggests these trends are found also in changing theories of distance education and open learning. It is argued that notions of distance education are part of the trend towards uniformity under conditions of globalisation, while those of open learning are part of the trend encouraging difference and diversity. The discussion is situated within contemporary debates about the modern and postmodern.     

An interesting absence: the gendered study of language and linguistic diversity in Latin America

This paper surveys sociolinguistic research into language and gender in Latin America, and identifies a gap specifically in the area of gendered language use in interpersonal interaction. It also notes a general paucity of gendered research on bilingual behaviour, which extends beyond Latin America. Through an analysis of the very small body of such research which has been carried out in Latin America, it examines some serious implications of these gaps for the model of `bilingual-intercultural' education now gaining currency with Latin American governments and international agencies. It seeks explanations for these absences in the Latin American context (in Latin American feminism, in the role of language in Latin American nation-building and myths of mestizaje, and in the way sociolinguistics has been institutionalised there) and in wider theoretical debates within the social sciences. Finally, it raises questions as to how this lack might be remedied, in such a way as to further the development of culturally appropriate education programmes for Latin America's indigenous peoples.