Looking back before moving forward : building on 15 years of comparative educational research in the Mediterranean

Abstract

This paper considers some of the promises and challenges in doing comparative education in the Mediterranean region. The focus on the Mediterranean is, in many ways, a wager, in that the region is rather more notable for its diversity than for its commonalities. Nevertheless, it is argued that comparative education goes – or should go – beyond the positivist concern with comparing ‘like with like’. Rather, it is more about finding a standpoint from where educational and related social phenomena can be seen from a different perspective, generating a deeper understanding of dynamics, as well as fresh insights. It is argued that the adoption of a Mediterranean lens facilitates this process, though there are distinctive challenges that arise. Building on 15 years experience in carrying out and co-ordinating comparative education projects in the region, the paper outlines both the promise and pitfalls of the endeavour, and traces an agenda for future research.