Special Education and Globalization illustrates the way in which inclusive education has become the dominant discourse across Europe and the wider international context. Contributions to this book highlight the tensions evident within each jurisdiction, related to the construction of disability within specific historical and cultural antecedents. These tensions often involve the relationship between official policy discourses and grassroots practices based on the assumptions of classroom practitioners who may have strong views on individual deficits. Parents and voluntary organisations may also have an interest in asserting the ‘specialness’ of specific conditions which require provision outside the mainstream. Finally, the emergence of new bureaucratic structures in an era of heightened national and individual competition often run counter to the ethos of co-operation which informs inclusive practice.

This book was originally published as a special issue of Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education.

Sheila Riddell is a Professor and Director at the Centre for Research in Education, Inclusion and Diversity at the University of Edinburgh, UK. Her research and writing focuses on social justice and inclusion in education, employment and social care.