This work debunks the argument that quality in education can only be achieved by limiting, or trading off, equality. The quality of schooling is a major issue for Third World nations across the globe. However there is no single measure which is universally accepted. Whether it is, as some economists might argue, an issue of the number of desks per classroom or one of national sovereignty is widely disputed. Defining equality in education becomes increasingly difficult in an era of globalization in which there exists a wide gap between rich and poor, both within and between nations. In the...

A collection of original pieces written by recognised scholars in literary studies from around the world. Some of the pieces report data on access to literacy competence for various sub-national minority groups, some focus on the historical role of literacy in the maintenance or suppression of marginal groups, and some pay close attention to important policy, public, or media accounts of literacy. What gives this collection cohension is a perception of literacy education among the authors as a potent ally in programmes of both freedom and oppression, and the commitment to present ways of...