A diverse collection of global educational research.

Young people around the world are calling ever more urgently on policymakers to address today’s global challenges of sustainability, structural inequality, and social justice. It is little surprise that learning in a global society, understanding sustainable development, and being active global citizens are increasingly popular themes for education at all levels. Educational research makes a crucial contribution to knowledge that can address the great questions of our time, and evidence from a diversity of studies is vital if we are to build a clear picture. Research in Global Learning showcases methods and findings from a range of early career researchers who conducted illuminating studies located around the globe, specifically Brazil, China, Ghana, Greece, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Poland, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Flexibility of approach is key to successful educational research in differing contexts. The studies in this volume use a range of approaches to investigate four important themes: the relationship between policy and practice, opportunities and constraints within the education system and the role of teachers, challenges and opportunities for higher education, and the perspectives of young people and students. Case studies, quantitative and qualitative research, participatory action research, longitudinal studies, and analysis of textbooks through critical discourse analysis are all used to demonstrate how learning about global citizenship and sustainability can inspire learners and contribute to quality education.
 

The first major academic study of the Woodcraft Folk, this volume evaluates how a cooperative youth movement fostered socialist education and international solidarity.

For nearly a century, the Woodcraft Folk has championed radical social change through education, but its contributions remain largely overlooked in histories of progressive youth movements. Span the World with Friendship is the first major academic study of this pioneering organization, tracing its role in fostering internationalism, cooperative learning, and environmental activism long before these became mainstream concerns. The Woodcraft Folk’s impact is inspected through diverse disciplinary perspectives, including political theory, anthropology, and youth work studies. Through a review of multiple archival sources—letters, meeting records, and oral testimonies—contributors bring a critical lens to a movement often narrated uncritically.

Beginning with a biography of founder Leslie Paul, the book looks into the Folk’s relationship with the labor movement, its engagement with eugenics debates, and its use of folk traditions as tools for social cohesion. Concluding with an exploration of its transition into a youth-led movement, this volume positions the Woodcraft Folk within broader discussions on education for global justice and activism, ensuring its legacy is finally given the academic attention it deserves.