Policy Borrowing and Reform in Education

This book addresses the intersections of globalization, policy borrowing, and educational reform. Drawing upon multiple disciplines, it provides a comprehensive overview of globalization’s history, processes, theories, and trends, both generally and in education specifically. The book includes an in-depth discussion of policy borrowing, emphasizing its political nature, to provide an understanding of globalization’s impact on education. Portnoi interrogates the dominance of the Global North and the influence of the global governance organizations that serve as the core of the aid and development regime. Using a critical perspective, Portnoi emphasizes the manner in which local agents intervene to mediate the forces of globalization. The book provides a comprehensive foundation for students and scholars of comparative education and associated disciplines, including social foundations, educational policy, teacher education, higher education, globalization studies, sociology of education, and policy studies.   

“Portnoi’s incisive analysis integrates the best of both globalization studies and comparative international education: The book is transnational, interdisciplinary, historical yet contemporary, postcolonial, and critical. I highly recommend the book both for undergraduate and graduate students in and outside of education.” (Gita Steiner-Khamsi, Professor of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, USA)

“Portnoi provides a strong review of theories, concepts, and practical developments at the intersection of global studies and comparative and international education. Up-to-date, accessible, and thorough, this is an ideal graduate text.”  (Simon Marginson, Director ESRC/HEFCE Centre for Global Higher Education, University College, London, UK, and Joint Editor-in-Chief of Higher Education)

“This book astutely problematizes ‘best practices’ of policy lending from the Global North to the Global South and highlights the role local actors play in mediating the impacts of globalization and adapting policies to local contexts.  Education and public policy scholars, students, and decision makers will find this book engaging, informative, and inspiring." (Jane Knight, Adjunct Professor, Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada)

“A substantial contribution to understanding the dynamics of educational reform and the tensions and trade-offs between global trends and local agency. Portnoi astutely problematizes asymmetrical relations between the Global North and Global South. A must read for anyone interested in globalization as a source of educational reform and inequities.” (Robert A. Rhoads, Professor of Higher Education & Organizational Change and Faculty Affiliate at the Center for Chinese Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, USA)

“Globalization is everywhere, though not well understood. Laura Portnoi writes a book that provides that understanding. This book covers multiple perspectives related to globalization and makes the concept readily understandable for students of education and related fields of study. Portnoi brings them a text that exposes them to educational reform in a globalized world in clear and thoughtful language. Her analysis is both thorough and insightful, offering a critical examination of globalization and educational reform.” (Val D. Rust, Professor Emeritus in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, USA)

Laura M. Portnoi is Professor at California State University, Long Beach, USA. Prior to her faculty appointment, she worked for several international exchange programs. Portnoi has published widely on topics related to globalization and education.