This book explores the history of higher education in Thailand, and the ways in which excellence and equity have played out over time. Classed as a developing country, Thailand has implemented wide-reaching legislative and regulatory responses relating to the purpose, character of and access to higher education. The authors investigate these changes by interrogating the mechanisms and reciprocities that have operated at the international level to trigger this decision making, and acknowledge that these changes have often run up against long-standing cultural norms and ideologies. Thailand has a highly stratified society, and maintains a strong commitment to the preservation of Thai identity and traditional values: tensions and pressures are likely to arise when history, culture and ideology are not aligned with political decree. Importantly, the push and pull between equity and excellence within the education system are likely to lie at the heart of those tensions.

Reading Across International Boundaries, edited by Roger Openshaw and Janet Soler, clearly demonstrates these broader characteristics of debates about the teaching of reading. It sets the educational issues firmly in the context of the social, cultural and political dynamics that inform and animate them and give them their meaning. It does so by setting out to understand their historical and comparative dimensions. Establishing the historical context highlights the origins and also the longevity of the problems and conflicts that are now widely familiar. The comparative approach also gives purchase on the wide range of approaches taken to these issues in nations around the world. More than this, however, this collection takes us into the realm of international influences. It underlines how debates in this area are not simply national, but are international and global in their scale. Moreover this is the case not only in relation to the broad fabric of policy debate, but also in the everyday struggles of pupils, parents and teachers in schools, classrooms and homes. Such an agenda is unsettling and provocative.It has the potential to challenge received opinion, to hustle preconceptions. It may also propose alternative visions for the improvement of teaching in this area that might be taken up and taken seriously in different localities or even more broadly. Most of all, it enables us to enrich and broaden our understanding of the learning and the teaching of reading at a time when awareness and vision are sorely needed. This collection of articles by leading scholars based in several different countries will be a significant contribution to the research field, but also a major resource when put to good use by policy makers and practitioners, as it should surely be.

"Public Policy and Ethnicity" is a response to the growing concern in many democracies that ethnicity has become institutionalized as a political category. The book draws on a number of international studies, including New Zealand, to show that this process of public policymaking creates artificial divisions and boundaries that may become permanent and detrimental as well as being fundamentally at odds with the social fluidity of modern societies. Includes a preface by Jonathan Friedman.

This widely researched comparative study addresses the critical issue of literacy crises around the world and questions their wider sociological and educational impact. The recurring literacy crises in England and English speaking countries such as the US and New Zealand are linked to wider issues of educational standards, concepts of teacher professionalism, debates over curriculum content and the whole purpose of schooling, in order for us to obtain a deeper understanding of specific national contexts and the political pressures involved. The authors' comparative approach enables them to uniquely demonstrate how literacy crises in one country can actually stimulate and shape literacy crises in another, as well as illustrating that these crises frequently share common features across time and geographical boundaries. Rather than championing any 'one best' method of teaching reading, central questions are addressed and discussed, which will make this ground-breaking book essential reading for policy makers, teachers and students in literacy and education studies.

This widely researched comparative study addresses the critical issue of literacy crises around the world and questions their wider sociological and educational impact. The recurring literacy crises in England and English speaking countries such as the US and New Zealand are linked to wider issues of educational standards, concepts of teacher professionalism, debates over curriculum content and the whole purpose of schooling, in order for us to obtain a deeper understanding of specific national contexts and the political pressures involved. The authors' comparative approach enables them to uniquely demonstrate how literacy crises in one country can actually stimulate and shape literacy crises in another, as well as illustrating that these crises frequently share common features across time and geographical boundaries. Rather than championing any 'one best' method of teaching reading, central questions are addressed and discussed, which will make this ground-breaking book essential reading for policy makers, teachers and students in literacy and education studies.

Has ethnicity become institutionalized as a political category? Drawing on international studies, including New Zealand, the book shows that this process of public policymaking creates artificial divisions that can become permanent and detrimental as well as being at odds with the social fluidity of modern societies. Preface by Jonathan Friedman.

This book explores the history of higher education in Thailand, and the ways in which excellence and equity have played out over time. Classed as a developing country, Thailand has implemented wide-reaching legislative and regulatory responses relating to the purpose, character of and access to higher education. The authors investigate these changes by interrogating the mechanisms and reciprocities that have operated at the international level to trigger this decision making, and acknowledge that these changes have often run up against long-standing cultural norms and ideologies. Thailand has a highly stratified society, and maintains a strong commitment to the preservation of Thai identity and traditional values: tensions and pressures are likely to arise when history, culture and ideology are not aligned with political decree. Importantly, the push and pull between equity and excellence within the education system are likely to lie at the heart of those tensions.

This book highlights and interrogates the continued interest and scrutiny of mathematics and science education. National debates on excellence and equity tend to focus largely on underachievement in mathematics and science rather than subjects in the arts or music: this is due to a belief that these curriculum areas are central to individual workplace success and national development in a competitive economic environment. The authors explore the history of these assumptions, as well as the debates based around claims that student achievement levels in these subjects has fallen. Spanning the United States, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, the chapters question how such debates are sustained and amplified: how has this perceived 'crisis' been articulated and spread across national borders? This comprehensive book will be of interest and value to scholars of mathematics and science education, as well as international education debates.

Reading Across International Boundaries, edited by Roger Openshaw and Janet Soler, clearly demonstrates these broader characteristics of debates about the teaching of reading. It sets the educational issues firmly in the context of the social, cultural and political dynamics that inform and animate them and give them their meaning. It does so by setting out to understand their historical and comparative dimensions. Establishing the historical context highlights the origins and also the longevity of the problems and conflicts that are now widely familiar. The comparative approach also gives purchase on the wide range of approaches taken to these issues in nations around the world. More than this, however, this collection takes us into the realm of international influences. It underlines how debates in this area are not simply national, but are international and global in their scale. Moreover this is the case not only in relation to the broad fabric of policy debate, but also in the everyday struggles of pupils, parents and teachers in schools, classrooms and homes. Such an agenda is unsettling and provocative. It has the potential to challenge received opinion, to hustle preconceptions. It may also propose alternative visions for the improvement of teaching in this area that might be taken up and taken seriously in different localities or even more broadly. Most of all, it enables us to enrich and broaden our understanding of the learning and the teaching of reading at a time when awareness and vision are sorely needed. This collection of articles by leading scholars based in several different countries will be a significant contribution to the research field, but also a major resource when put to good use by policy makers and practitioners, as it should surely be.

In Democracy at the Crossroads, the editors argue that there have been too few scholarly attempts to provide a comprehensive critique of the assumptions behind citizenship education. In particular, they ask the distinguished contributors to this volume to address difficult but essential questions that are often avoided or intentionally overlooked: What do all-embracing terms like 'global citizenship' really mean? What does democracy mean internationally? A timely work, Democracy at the Crossroads provides a necessary examination and re-interpretation of international perspectives on democracy and global citizenship as they apply to social education.

In Democracy at the Crossroads, the editors argue that there have been too few scholarly attempts to provide a comprehensive critique of the assumptions behind citizenship education. In particular, they ask the distinguished contributors to this volume to address difficult but essential questions that are often avoided or intentionally overlooked: What do all-embracing terms like 'global citizenship' really mean? What does democracy mean internationally? A timely work, Democracy at the Crossroads provides a necessary examination and re-interpretation of international perspectives on democracy and global citizenship as they apply to social education.