Education and Society: Places, Policies, Processes

Description

This new textbook offers a wide-ranging discussion of the key debates within the sociology of education. Covering everything from policymaking and the curriculum, to class, ethnicity and gender, and the ways that they and other social divisions intersect to produce inequalities, this timely publication provides a much-needed contribution to the study of education's vital role in contemporary society. With examples drawn from such diverse contexts as Australian pre-schools, Finnish higher education institutions and English further education colleges, the text presents students with an international perspective and encourages them to engage critically with some of the core questions that lie at the heart of the topic: what is the purpose of education? who decides what formal education entails? and what impact does education have on both society and individuals? Rachel Brooks's extensive knowledge of decades of scholarly work in education and sociology ensures the book is academically rigorous throughout, while the final chapter on emerging educational research means it is fully up to date. The text's accessible style is ideally suited to all those new to the topic and studying the sociology of education for the first time, whether this be from departments of sociology, childhood studies, social policy, or a range of other social science disciplines.

Rachel Brooks is Professor of Sociology and Associate Dean at the University of Surrey, UK.

Rachel Brooks's Education and Society is the sociology of education for the twenty-first century. It is beautifully written, accessible, thoroughly researched and deals with pressing contemporary education issues from multiple sociological perspectives. This book is a must read for all sociologists of education seeking to understand the places, policies and processes of education in our tumultuous globalising times. * Bob Lingard, University of Queensland, Australia * Brooks is to be congratulated on producing such a wonderfully clear, engaging and comprehensive introduction to key themes and perspectives in the sociology of education. A hugely diverse and fascinating range of topics is covered - from epigenetics to home-schooling, sexual harassment in schools and universities, to the ways in which education is implicated in global population flows and projects of nation-building. Highly recommended for students at all levels of their undergraduate and graduate studies as well as seasoned scholars wanting to familiarise themselves with new developments in the sociology of education or looking for fresh insights on familiar themes. * Sharon Gewirtz, King's College London, UK * In a time of increasing inequality and budget cuts to public education, we should all welcome a book like Education and Society that provides a clear and accessible sociological overview of education as a social institution. Brooks pays particular attention to the ways in which the education experience has been differentiated by class, race, and gender, as well as the impact neoliberal policies have had on the educational experience of all students. Her attention to power dynamics, even down to the ethics of educational research is a refreshing addition to our understanding of the educational field. * Allison L. Hurst, Oregon State University, USA * A refreshingly up-to-date and much-needed textbook engaging with the complexities of education systems in contemporary society ... beautifully written, authoritative, and highly engaging. * Nicola Ingram, Lancaster University, UK * Education and Society is a highly creative and innovative take on the field of sociology of education ... A fantastic and very valuable contribution to a field that desperately needs an injection of new textbooks. I think it will make an excellent resource for students and lecturers alike. * Peter Hemming, Cardiff University, UK * This superb book effortlessly combines theoretical reasoning with empirical evidence and offers a breadth, scope and depth that is unrivalled by any text currently available on the complex relationships between education and society. * Wolfgang Lehmann, University of Western Ontario, Canada, UK * Education and Society provides powerful insights into the defining issues of contemporary education, compelling readers to critically consider what it means to think about education through a sociological lens. * Glenn Savage, University of Western Australia, Australia * This wide-ranging book takes a valuable intersectional approach to understanding how education reproduces and transforms societies, making it a must-read book for students, academics and policy-makers alike * Vikki Boliver, Durham University, UK * In Education and Society, Brooks skilfully brings together a vast array of theoretical perspectives, critical scholarship and contemporary research to locate key debates and trends in the sociology of education. Written in a clear and accessible manner, and comprehensive in scope, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the complex relationship between Education and Society. * Kim Allen, University of Leeds, UK *