Studying Education : An Introduction to the Key Disciplines in Education Studies

The book covers the seven main subject disciplines that contribute to education as a broad field of study - history of education, politics of education, philosophy of education, economics of education, sociology of education, psychology of education and comparative education.

Key features include:

• Seven extended chapters all written by specialist and experienced academics in their field
• A brief overview and history at the beginning of each chapter, followed by a selection of key themes and topics within the discipline
• Boxed summaries of key theorists and researchers throughout each chapter
• Tasks for the reader, along with extensive referencing and suggestions for further reading and research

Contributors: Rebecca Allen, Clyde Chitty, Will Curtis, Barry Dufour, Diahann Gallard, Angie S. Garden, Debbie Le Play, Richard Waller

"This book provides an authoritative, ‘state of the art’ introduction to the key disciplines of education studies. It provides useful study activities and concise introductory notes on key texts, key figures, key centres and key journals in each discipline. A valuable and highly readable addition to the education studies literature."
Clive Harber, Professor of International Education, University of Birmingham, UK

"This book aims to explore the disciplines that are the “foundation” education disciplines: History, Politics, Philosophy, Economics, Sociology, Psychology and Comparative Education. The editors claim that their key aim is to “provide a general overview of each subject [...] enabling the readers to explore each discipline in greater depth” (page1).

This book offers an overview of the disciplines that have been dominant in education. The disciplines the editors have chosen to include in this book thus illustrate a range of diverse approaches to the study of education. The book is written in an accessible style for undergraduate students embarking on inquiry into the nature of education studies and the disciplines that may be important.

Interestingly the chapters in this book will also help students to refine their understanding of historical, political, socio-economical and psychological aspects that are interrelated in the study of education. Although the authors of individual chapters develop a discussion of their discipline in each chapter, they successfully and consistently apply their disciplinarity thus offering students opportunities to discuss the identity of education studies and debate the relevance of disciplines in the development of educational thought.

Chapter One offers a rigorous and critical approach to key historical developments in education, attempting a useful heuristic consideration to all levels of education and covering a number of factors such as women and education, ethnicity, race and religion in order that students are inducted into the wider socio-political developments of education. The second chapter offers a different, but relevant, dimension to the first chapter by examining the role of politics in education, debating issues around power, conflict and change and for the development of educational thinking such a chapter debating policy-making and politics is vitally important. The third chapter on philosophy of education is central to the study of the foundation disciplines of education as philosophical approaches influence and underpin education studies in terms of history, poli

Will Curtis is Subject Leader and Principal Lecturer in Education at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.

Other Contributors:
Clyde Chitty is Visiting Professor at the Institute of Education, University of London.
Richard Waller is Director of Lifelong Learning and Principal Lecturer in Education at the University of the West of England.
Rebecca Allen is Senior Lecturer in Economics of Education at the Institute of Education, University of London.
Deborah Le Play is Head of Studies for the Faculty of Humanities and Principal Lecturer in Education Studies at De Montfort University.
Diahann Gallard is Lecturer in Early Years Education at Liverpool John Moores University.
Angie Garden is Senior Lecturer and Route Leader for Early Years at Liverpool John Moores University.