Making a point of difference: the glocalised ecology of the International Baccalaureate Diploma in Australian schools

The International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBD) is an independent, globally available curriculum currently enjoying rapid uptake in government systems as an alternative curriculum. This paper explores the logic of its consumption in three case study schools across different states of Australia, and the relational ‘points of difference’ it creates in each local context and its curricular market. The analysis uses a typology of goods to describe the nature and dynamics of the IBD's glocalised ecology in each site. The conclusion argues that the success of the IBD as a curricular alternative risks eroding its appeal as a positional good.