The Geopolitics of Education in Conflict-Affected Contexts

This open access book critically explores the intersections of education, conflict, war and peace, focusing on how global actors intervene in education systems in crisis. Drawing on diverse case studies and theoretical perspectives, it examines the geopolitics of international assistance, refugee education, and peacebuilding. The volume is organised into three parts: the first analyses the positioning of international organisations and multistakeholder initiatives; the second investigates refugee education policies, funding and narratives; and the third considers peace education and post-conflict transitions. Written by a diverse group of scholars and practitioners from across the world, the chapters interrogate colonial legacies, global governance, and the political economy shaping education in emergencies, revealing both its potential for transformation and its complicity in reproducing inequality. This open access book is essential reading for scholars, policymakers and practitioners seeking to understand education's role in conflict-affected contexts and its implications for sustainable peace and social justice. Mario Novelli is Professor in the Political Economy of Education at the Centre for International Education, University of Sussex, UK and Visiting Professor at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. His research examines education's links to armed conflict, globalisation, and social movements, with a focus on policy processes through a critical political economy lens.