For some, socialism is a potent way of achieving economic, political and social transformations in the twenty-first century, while others find the very term socialism outdated. This book engages readers in a discussion about the viability of socialist views on education and identifies the capacity of some socialist ideas to address a range of widely recognized social ills. It argues that these pervasive social problems, which plague so-called ‘developed’ societies as much as they contribute to the poverty, humiliation and lack of prospects in the rest of the world, fundamentally challenge us to act. In our contemporary world-system, distancing ourselves from the injustices of others is neither viable nor defensible. Rather than waiting for radically new solutions to emerge, this book sees the possibility of transformation in the reconfiguration of existing social logics that comprise our modern societies, including logics of socialism.

The book presents case studies that offer a critical examination of education in contemporary socialist contexts, as well as reconsidering examples of education under historical socialism. In charting these alternatives, and retooling past solutions in a nuanced way, it sets out compelling evidence that it is possible to think and act in ways that depart from today’s dominant educational paradigm. It offers contemporary policy makers, researchers, and practitioners a cogent demonstration of the contemporary utility of educational ideas and solutions associated with socialism.

A pioneering collection of essays which is central to understanding the historical and contemporary meanings of socialism in the context of neoliberal globalization. It is a most timely contribution to a growing intellectual project that challenges the hegemony of capitalism, while re-thinking and theorizing alternatives.

Iveta Silova, Associate Professor of Comparative Education, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA

In this significant contribution to recent scholarship the authors use the lens of socialist education to offer an original critique of hegemonic capitalism, and present an intellectually rigorous search for alternatives by reconsidering historical socialism and advancing promising educational experiments that challenge the ‘global architecture of education’.

Anders Breidlid, Professor of International Education and Development, Oslo University College, Norway