The appropriation of the global discourse in the formulation of national education policies: a case of continuing education of teachers in Greece

• Published in: Globalisation, societies and education Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 83 - 93
• Main Author: Dakopoulou, Athanasia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 01.03.2009
• Subjects: Adult Education; Content Analysis; Continuing Education; Discourse; Discourse Analysis; Education policy; Educational Policy; Educational Research; Foreign Countries; Global Approach; global discourse; Greece; Institutionalization (Social); Interviews; national policy formulation; Networks; Policy Formation; Policy Making; Primary education; sectoral interests; Teacher Education; Teacher training; Teachers; Greece
• ISSN: 1476-7724; 1476-7732
• DOI: 10.1080/14767720802677382

Educational research over the last decades has been preoccupied with the way the global discourse has been employed in national educational policy making. Examining a case of teachers' continuing education in Greece, the paper focuses on the way this global discourse has been selectively appropriated by national agents. Using data of focused interviews with key agents and the content analysis of policy documents, the paper examines the institutionalisation process arguing that (Greek) education policy is not always subject to rational planning, or global imperatives, but involves informal networks which interact parasitically inside formal policy networks to further sectoral interests.