International education and development
Our research focus is international and pays particular attention to the cultural contexts of education and learning, understandings and interpretations of the quality of education, and narrative and life-history approaches to research and learning within European and global South settings.
The group works across a number of levels from the formal to the informal; and with a number of actors from higher education researchers to educationists working within Non-Governmental (NGO) and policy sectors. The research focus of the group is also interdisciplinary, being informed by developments within such disciplines as anthropology, sociology, and development studies.
Group members
Our membership includes researchers actively engaged with and interested in international education and its relationship to European and national educational issues.
- Professor David Stephens
- Professor Ivor Goodson
- Irena Andrews
- Timothy Coxon
- Kevin Fossey
- Professor Peter Burns
- Daniel Burdsey
- Jane Cawdell
- Dr Sandra Williams
Current work
Quality Education Project by David Stephens
This is a four-country study of quality in education in Sub-Saharan Africa. We have now finalized the evaluation of the Quality Education Project, and the full text is published on the Save the Children Norway website.
Professional Knowledge by Ivor Goodson
Professional Knowledge looks at the life histories of teachers, nurses and other professionals in eight European countries. The project is funded by the European Union. Again the intention is to use life history methods to understand the professional missions and purposes of people working in the caring professions. Here a particular concern is to show how new reforms and restructuring initiatives in the professions either harmonise or collide with the sort of life missions which professionals take into their work. Find our more about 'Professional Knowledge’.
A Secret History of Holidays by Peter Burns (School of Service Management)
A Secret History of Holidays (funded by the Community University Partnership Programme in cooperation with the Clinical Research Centre for Health Professions and Oxford Brookes University ) uses private archive material and interviews to capture experiences and memories of the first generation of post-war tourists. Outputs include a short film, which was presented at the CENTOPS 2007 conference. This stream will be further developed by investigating various public film archives including Screen Archive Southeast.
Experiences of British Asians in football, boxing and cricket by Daniel Burdsey (Chelsea School)
Dan’s main research interests lie in the area of race, ethnicity and popular culture. In particular he has focused on the experiences of British Asians in football, boxing and cricket. He is currently involved in projects looking at British Asian football supporters, football and multiculturalism in Western Europe, and issues of racism and identity on the Sussex coast. He is also a member of an international group of scholars, based at Georgia State University in Atlanta, undertaking the study of anti-racist discourses.
Research methods
We use a range of qualitative methodologies, with a particular focus on narrative approaches.