A system of completely equal treatment of state and religious denominational elementary schools has existed in the Netherlands since 1920 and is firmly rooted in previous centuries of Dutch history. Development of this "pillarized" educational system is traced and discussed in relation to situations in South Africa and in countries with new,…

Describes the origins and characteristics of the heterogeneous French advocacy associations known as "mouvements pedagogiques." Draws on Alberoni's model of social movements and institutions. Argues that this phenomenon, which appears a uniquely French response to a highly centralized system, illustrates a universal need to "invest emotion" in the…

Draws on ethnographic observation to describe internal social structuring of Botswana primary schools; social hierarchy among teachers, staff, and students; and the cultural distance between schools and their communities. Argues that teacher training practices do not challenge trainees' previously internalized teaching concepts related to teacher…

Traces the history of education in Somalia: in precolonial traditional Somalia; during colonial rule by Italy; under civilian rule, 1960-69; and under military rule, 1969-90. Describes the total destruction of the education system since the 1991 collapse of the state, widespread illiteracy and adolescent involvement in thuggery, and the urgent…

Review of "Politics and Policy-Making in Israel's Education System" (Haim Gaziel); "Educational Advancement and Distributive Justice between Equality and Equity" (Reuven Kahane, editor); and "Exchanging Writing, Exchanging Cultures: Lessons in School Reform from the United States and Great Britain" (Sarah Warshauer Freeman). Examines international…

Outlines a set of generic "problems" emanating from the global economy that constitute the contemporary social, political, and economic conditions for educational and social policy making. Discusses the emergence of ideological and "magical" solutions to these problems, the dissemination of such solutions, and their recontextualization on national…

Draws on Canadian, U.S., and British policy documents and personal experience to examine how countries and their subjurisdictions are learning from each other about the nature of policy change and reform in education. Concludes that "mutual learning" does not necessarily describe such policy movements; analogies to diseases and epidemics may be…

Contrasts the logic of globalization with that of internationalism (global pursuit of interest through unfettered capitalism versus promotion of global peace and well-being through international structures). Uses these frameworks to explore the policies of key international organizations in education (UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank). Contains 39…

Argues that the rising tide of "efficiency" in contemporary education often masks reductions in educational quality and equity and efforts to reduce public investments in education. Analyzes historical and comparative examples in U.S., U.K., and Australian reform movements; the methodology of comparative education; and ongoing reforms in U.K. and…

Considers South African curriculum reforms borrowed from New Zealand--outcomes-based education and a national qualifications framework--in terms of development of self-regulated learners and the kinds of teachers needed for such learners. Analyzes the implicit pedagogical logic of performance and competence models of pedagogy, and concludes that…

New Zealand's Education Review Office and England's Office for Standards in Education attempt to construct school failure as the clear responsibility of schools in order to gain ideological power as agents of accountability. These "politics of blame" are contested in both settings by an alternative "contextual" claim involving broader…

Examines similarities between English and U.S. school-choice policies, and considers explanations of any convergences: broader social changes versus policy exchanges. Discusses the utility of concepts such as postmodernism and post-Fordism, neoliberal policy networks within and between the two countries, and evidence of the use of overseas…

Overview of research training systems leading to doctoral degrees in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden emphasizes the structure of postgraduate education, administration and funding, number of students, time to degree, completion rates, labor market, and study abroad. Comparisons to U.S., British, German, and French systems suggests a trend…

Qualitative studies of young people's attitudes toward a unified Europe demonstrate the conceptual complexity of national or European identity and highlight epistemological and methodological problems of attitude research. Dutch adolescents' writings and discussions show that children can reflect on stereotyping mechanisms and that real or…

Questions the legitimacy of transferring educational models and materials between countries. Reviews recent trends in educational management development in Western and less developed countries and assesses the cross-cultural transfer of "school-based management self-development." Suggests that indigenization of models may be most appropriate, but…