Social Theory, Globalization and Education

Dumay, Xavier [UCL] Mangez, Eric [UCL]

Although the concept of globalization now occupies a central place in the social sciences, the notion seems to suffer from a persistent lack of conceptual clarity, in particular when mobilized in the field of education. In this Introduction to Part I of the Oxford Handbook on Education and Globalization, we start by discussing comparatively the core principles underpinning major theories of world society theories (World Culture, World System and World Society). Then, we present how each theoretical orientation assesses the temporal evolution of globalization and identifies and explains its consequences in late modernity before looking at how each conceives the place or function of education in its worldwide perspective. Finally, we delve into the way each strand conceptualizes the relations between education and policy, and conclude by pointing to emerging debates and research avenues.