Comparative education as a political project

Abstract

This article argues that since World War II, comparative education has worked in the service of two historic blocs: one focused on creating institutions and ideologies in support of internationalism and a second focused on containing the threat of communism. Both versions have supported and justified foreign intervention into domestic education systems, mirroring colonial practices and logics. Once the United States of America became politically and economically hegemonic, the field helped develop mental models and best-practices of ‘efficient’ education systems, justifying international development efforts of Washington and the interests of capital. As the global political economy shifts so too will the political project of comparative education. The article posits future directions for the field on the assumption that a new economic bloc will emerge as East Asia plays a larger role in the global economy.