Why Globalization Hardly Affects Education Systems

Abstract

Many scholars and observers have assumed that globalization triggers convergence in many areas, including education policy and systems. Yet, while some change has happened, the central elements of countries’ education systems have been relatively unaffected by globalization. This chapter explains this inertia, pointing at the politics of education. Taking a historical institutionalist perspective, the chapter shows that education systems have created positive feedback effects generating path dependencies which make education systems increasingly resilient to change. A review and discussion of recent research underpin this reasoning, identifying three mechanisms, through public opinion, interest groups, and political elites, respectively.