Toward Understanding the Global Landscape of Educational Pluralism

ABSTRACT This paper explores the global and cross-national landscape of educational pluralism, its grounding in human rights law and contemporary debates, and conceptualizes how it might be measured cross-nationally. It first articulates how educational pluralism is central to the right to education in foundational human rights instruments, with a focus on understanding the role of educational pluralism in protecting cultural rights, religious liberties, and parental rights, while also embracing the rights of the child and duties of states. It then traces emerging debates at an international level, particularly related to ideas of the autonomy of children and concerns about privatization in education systems. It then conceptualizes a means of mapping and measuring educational pluralism cross nationally, and concludes by sharing analysis of PISA data to offer a preliminary picture of the cross-national landscape, noting limitations with the available data.