This book shares the authors’ insights into processes of change in education policy research gained during research and supervision work in comparative and international education (CIE). The authors’ focus on charting change in education and societies within CIE, and across academic research traditions more widely, is on two salient areas: decolonization in education research approaches and ethnographic approaches to the investigation of social policies in education. This book contributes methodological insights from multiple case studies within international research projects that span work over two decades considering global social policies in Southeast Asian and Pacific contexts. The various chapters address research issues in CIE fieldwork and supervision, with particular attention to collaborative and focused ethnographic approaches based in decolonial and postcolonial perspectives. 

Associate Professor Alexandra McCormick conducts research into global and multi-level education policy processes, activities and actors with a focus in Oceanic and South-East Asian contexts. Applying critical globalization, decolonial, postcolonial and feminist approaches, her work addresses issues of justice and power in education and its governance. Prior to teaching in comparative and international education, teacher education and international development studies at the University of Sydney, Dr. McCormick worked as an educator in primary and secondary schools and non-formal education contexts in Australia, China and Japan, and gained a Master of International Studies. She has led Undergraduate and Master of Education programmes, served as Associate Dean (Postgraduate Coursework) for the University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and worked with non-government and international development agencies. She is former Chief Editor of the International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives and a current Associate Editor for the Comparative Education Review.

Dr Liberty Pascua de Rivera is Vice-Chancellor Research Fellow at the Faculty of Education of Southern Cross University, where she teaches units on environmental politics, humanities and social sciences education, and sociological issues. Her research interests include the analysis and evaluation of policies and their implementation in the areas of education for sustainable development, climate change, and disaster risk reduction. Central to Dr de Rivera’s research is the idea of cognitive justice—what, or whose knowledge, is emphasised or neglected in the process of policy transfer. Dr. de Rivera holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Research, and has conducted research, teaching, and development work in the Philippines, Australia, Vanuatu, Singapore, and Somalia. She serves as Lead Author for the Working Group II Contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Seventh Assessment (AR7) Report. Dr de Rivera is a current Associate Editor for the journal International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education.