Social inequality and schooling: a policy perspective- Professor Becky Francis

Title: Social inequality and schooling: a policy perspective

Class number: A811a1- you will sign up for this class in my.harvard.edu.

Deadline to sign up is

Schedule: T,W 7:00pm-9:00pm- light dinner provided; F 8:00am-12:00pm- coffee break provided; the dates for this class are Oct. 9th, 10th, and 12th. 

Description: Education is often presented as the method to deliver meritocracy and to facilitate social mobility. Yet the evidence suggests that education reproduces -- or even exacerbates -- existing social inequalities. Narrowing socio-economic gaps for educational attainment has become a policy directive for many OECD nations, including the UK. But are schools the key? Can policies that focus on education alone be productive in promoting equity, or does policy need to focus on other factors?

Led by British education policy expert and leading sociologist Professor Becky Francis,Director of the University College of London (UCL) Institute of Education, this class will explore these issues. Drawing on the case of education policy in the UK and elsewhere, we shall analyse the ways in which international policymakers have approached these challenges, and evaluate impact from a social-justice perspective.

This is the first in a series of one-credit classes taught by the 2018-2019 cohort of the Chen Yidan Visiting Global Fellows program. Students may personalize their experience by taking only one of the courses or by taking several and forming a series of credits in the area of global studies. For more information on the fellows, their classes, and upcoming events, please visit our website at globalfellows.gse.harvard.edu.

For any questions about the class or enrollment, please contact kristin_foster@gse.harvard.edu.