EERA NETWORK 23 Policy Studies and Politics of Education: ONLINE SEMINAR SERIES 2025
Shifting Landscapes: Retrospects and Prospects in Global Education Governance Speakers: Maren Elfert (King's College London) and Christian Ydesen (University of Zürich)
This webinar explores the evolving dynamics of global education governance by examining the shifting roles, positions, and entanglements of key intergovernmental organizations—UNESCO, OECD, and the World Bank—over the past seven decades. Through an analysis of historical patterns and trajectories, we trace the development of governance mechanisms, policy instruments, and constituencies to better understand the current state and future directions of global governance in education. Particular focus will be placed on the implications for the emerging post-SDG4 agenda.
Grounded in research from the book Global Governance of Education: The Historical and Contemporary Entanglements of UNESCO, the OECD, and the World Bank (2023) and enriched by insights from comprehensive archival material and interviews with key actors, this talk provides critical perspectives on how the interplay of these organizations has shaped—and continues to shape—the global education landscape. By looking back, we aim to provide foresights into the trajectories and challenges ahead for education governance in a rapidly transforming world.
Publications
The network is preparing a handbook proposal for Bloomsbury. The book will be coordinated by Xavier Rambla (Autonomous University of Barcelona) and Anne Larson (Aarhus University). Several co-editors will lead sections on transnationalism (Marcella Milana, University of Verona), marketization and privatization (Sofia Viseu, University of Lisbon), education policy in uncertain times (Peter Kelly, University of Plymouth), social justice (Anna Traianou, Goldsmiths, University of London) and methodology (Tae-Hee Choi, University of Southampton).
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