Joseph Zajda 
Globalisation, Ideology and Education Reforms 
Emerging Paradigms

This book analyses the nexus between ideology, the state, and education reforms worldwide. The research evinces the neo-liberal ideological imperatives of current education and policy reforms and illustrates the way these shifts in the relationship between the state and education policy are affecting current trends in education reforms and schooling around the globe. With this as its focus, the chapters represent hand-picked scholarly research on major discourses in the field of global education reforms. Offering a compendium of the very latest thought on the subject, this book is, like the others in the series, a state-of-the-art sourcebook for researchers, practitioners and policymakers alike. Not only do the chapters offer a timely analysis of current issues shaping education policy research; the work also contains ideas about future directions that education and policy reforms could take. By doing so, it provides a comprehensive view of the diverse and intersecting discourses on globalisation and policy-driven reforms in education.






The book draws on recent studies in the areas of globalisation, education reforms, and the role of the state. Respective chapters critically assess the dominant discourses and debates on education and policy reforms. Using diverse comparative education paradigms, ranging from critical theory to historical-comparative research, they focus on globalisation, ideology and democracy, and examine both the reasons for and outcomes of education reforms and policy change.

Table of Content

1 Globalisation and Education Reforms: Emerging Research Issues.- 2 Analysing the (mis)use and Consequences of International Large-scale Assessments.- 3 The Unintended Consequences of Governance of Education at a Distance through Assessment and Standardization.- 4 Crisis in Economic Theory and the Implications for PISA Derived Education Policy.- 5 Globalizations, Meta-Ideological Hegemony and Challenges from Populism in Education.- 6 Social Change and Education Reforms in High Performing Education Systems: Policy Lessons from Singapore and Hong Kong.- 7 Globalisation and Current Reseearch on Teaching Values Education.- 8 Constructivist and Constructionist Pedagogy in a Globalised World: Clarifying the Constructs.- 9 Creation of Questionable Honour: Proliferation of For-Profit Honourable Societies.- 10 Reflections on the Legacy of Nelson Mandela and the Relevance for Educational Tranformation Globally.- 11 Research Priorities and Developments in Education Reforms Globally.

About the author

Joseph Zajda is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Education and Arts, Australian Catholic University (Melbourne Campus). He specialises in globalisation and education policy reforms, social justice, history education and values education. He has written and edited 42 books and over 150 book chapters and articles on globalisation and education policy, higher education and curriculum reforms. He is also the editor of the 24-volume book series Globalisation, Comparative Education and Policy Research (Springer, 2009 & 2020). Recent publications include: Zajda, J. (2018).
Globalisation and education reforms: Paradigms and ideologies Dordrecht: Springer; Zajda, J. (2017).
Globalisation and national identity in history textbooks. Dordrecht: Springer; Zajda, J. & Rust, V. (Ed.) (2016).
Globalisation and Higher Education Reforms. Dordrecht: Springer; Zajda, J. (2015). (Ed.).
Second International Handbook of Globalisation, Education and Policy Research. Dordrecht: Springer. 





Prof. Zajda’s works can be found in 480 publications in 4 languages and 10, 529 university library holdings globally. He was awarded an ARC Discovery Grant ($315, 000) for globalising studies of the politics of history education: a comparative analysis of history national curriculum implementation in Russia and Australia (with Monash University, 2011–2015). Further, he is an elected fellow of the Australian College of Educators (FACE).