Chapter 1: Teachers and Nations

We live in a world where education has become central to the economic and military interests of the state and to the very stability of nations themselves. In our “schooled society,” mass schooling (e.g., primary and secondary education) has powerful effects on both national identity and individual outcomes (Baker, 2014). Since World War II, a “world society” (Meyer et al., 1997) of nations has developed where countries vie for educational excellence, routinely participate in international testing programs, compare their student achievement scores, and adjust educational policy. Internationally, we have seen the rise of complex networks of organizations that try to influence national educational policy and practice. Multilateral agencies like the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) attempt to promote global educational reforms. Globalization, particularly the interchange of ideas via dramatic innovations in technology and communication (Castells, 2004), has allowed the development of a global cultural dynamic. In this dynamic mix of local, national, and transnational cultures, “global institutions can traverse and shape local, regional, or national versions of particular areas of human life such as education” (Baker & LeTendre, 2005, p. 10).