The relationship between government, education reform and student outcomes is an ambivalent and often problematic one. Focusing on the interplay between decentralization, globalization, and education reforms, this book draws on recent studies to explore the conceptual frameworks and methodological approaches that can be applied to research covering the state, globalization, equality, and education. It lays bare the neo-liberal ideological imperatives of education and policy reforms, and illustrates the way the relationship between the state and education policy affects current models and...