‘Placing’ teachers in global governance agendas

Abstract

This paper examines the current focus on teacher policies and practices by a range of global actors, and explores what this means for the governance of teachers in national education systems states. Through an historical and contemporary reading of the ways global actors seek to govern teachers, I argue an important shift in the locus of power to govern has taken place. I show how the mechanisms of global governance of teachers are being transformed, from 'education as (national) development' and 'norm setting', to 'learning as (individual) development' and 'competitive comparison'. Yet despite tendencies toward a convergence of agendas amongst these global actors, we can nevertheless observe important differences between them, as well as on the national settings influence. I conclude by examining the limits and possibilities of governing at a (global) distance, as well as the contradictions and cleavages inherent in neoliberal framings of teacher policies to realise the good teacher.