A technology of global governance or the path to gender equality? Reflections on the role of indicators and targets for girls' education

Since 2000, girls’ education has been an increasingly high-profile concern in international development policy. At the same time, there has been a trend towards the greater production and reliance on quantitative data, indicators and targets in national and international education policy. Scholars have raised concerns about the rise of ‘performance-based’ approaches to accountability in education, and potential counterproductive effects of this for social justice and equality. However, few studies have explored how this trend plays out in practice within international organisations, particularly in relation to the heightened focus on girls’ education. This paper explores the implications of the increasing reliance on quantitative measures for policy actors and draws on a set of interviews with key stakeholders working in organisations concerned with gender and education to explore their divergent understandings of accountability processes. The paper concludes by reflecting on the prospects for a transformative approach to measuring gender equality and girls’ education

Men, masculinities and fatherhood in global finance: a study of hegemonic practices in London

This qualitative study examines global finance as a locus for two hegemonic processes associated with masculinity and spatial arrangements. It explores how the finance sector interrelates with the global city of London, and considers how structures and practices of global finance and the work and family lives of men employed in management in banking in London support, confirm or contest hegemony. It aims to reflect on ways these social practices may be re-¬‐configured to promote greater gender equality. Research comprises 7 case studies of fathers centred on semi-¬‐structured interviews with the men and their wives. It also draws on data from fieldnotes/observations of the City and family spaces, and online promotional material from 8 City banks. This thesis explores a gap in scholarship regarding the interrelationship of forms of hegemony linked with global finance in the City and family relations and social practices, and reflects on ways aspects of these local spaces are the product and producers of global forces. As the 2007/8 financial crisis highlighted, local practices can have serious far-¬‐reaching consequences. Analysis reveals the status of the men as bankers and fathers and their access to financial and political power is constituted and reinforced in work and family contexts in ways which confirm and normalise gender inequalities. Patriarchal work practices that favour forms of highly competitive working, and patriarchal family relations, are normalised. Social practices which interrelate with the global city, finance industry and family perpetuate the elite positioning of men working in management in City finance and feed into a cyclical process of privilege transference for their children. Potential crisis tendencies which might contest hegemony, particularly those relating to the 2007/8 financial crisis and hands--on caregiving ideals of fatherhood, are discussed. The thesis suggests, however, the processes of hegemony in global finance are strong and enduring

Chapter 9: Gender, Poverty and Educational Equality

RLOsA chapter on gender, poverty and educational equality from 'The SAGE Handbook of Inclusion and Diversity in Education'. The handbook examines policy and practice from around the world with respect to broadly conceived notions of inclusion and diversity within education. It sets out to provide a critical and comprehensive overview of current thinking and debate around aspects such as inclusive education rights, philosophy, context, policy, systems, and practices for a global audience. This makes it an ideal text for researchers and those involved in policy-making, as well as those teaching in classrooms today. Chapters are separated across three key parts: Part I: Conceptualizations and Possibilities of Inclusion and Diversity in Education; Part II: Inclusion and Diversity in Educational Practices, Policies, and Systems; and Part III: Inclusion and Diversity in Global and Local Educational Contexts

Education for all 2000–2015: review and perspectives

This article provides a brief overview of global progress towards the six EFA objectives and international assistance to EFA strategies. It shows that, despite modest moves toward EFA achievement – some of them through explicit policies and actions by governments, international organizations, donors, and NGOs – progress since Dakar has been uneven. Much of the broad EFA agenda remains unfinished, as none of the objectives have been achieved. The global EFA mechanisms worked despite, not because of international EFA coordination efforts. Much hope had been placed on the external financing of EFA in order to accelerate EFA progress. While aid has increased, the total volume of external aid has fallen well below what has been identified as necessary, has been insufficiently focused in the most needy countries, has decreased as a proportion of recipient governments' budgets for the period and has not always been delivered effectively

Education for all 2000-2015: the influence of global interventions and aid on EFA achievements

This chapter provides a short overview on the history of global Education For All (EFA) efforts, progress in achieving the six EFA goals, and international aid for EFA policies. It shows that, despite modest movement in achieving the EFA goals, some of it due to explicit policies and actions undertaken by governments, international agencies, donors and non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) since Dakar, the progress has been uneven. Much of the broad EFA agenda remains unfinished, as none of the goals was reached. The global EFA mechanisms that did work often did so despite, rather than because of, international attempts to coordinate EFA. Much hope had been placed on external financing to accelerate EFA progress. While aid did increase, the overall volume of external assistance fell well short of the assessed need, was insufficiently targeted to countries most in need, declined as a share of recipient governments’ budgets over the period, and was not always delivered effectively