Comparing the Comparers: Patterns, Themes and Interpretations

The histories in this book are set within their wider contexts, partly echoing works on disciplinary histories and sociology of the social sciences such as Graham et al. (1983) and Wagner et al. (1991). Taking the comparative education societies and the umbrella global body as the units of analysis, this book demonstrates that professional and scholarly associations are windows on the wider communities that they serve. At the same time, broader forces in political, academic and other domains shape the sizes, structures and activities of these societies.

This chapter examines relationships between the broader environment and the professional bodies. Using insights from the preceding chapters, the chapter identifies some patterns and themes from the main body of the book, and in a sense compares the comparers. It begins with conceptual literature on disciplinary institutionalisation and scholarly networking before turning to the specifics of the comparative education societies. It includes comments on society formation and names, which are themselves linked to the ways in which the societies have been founded, positioned themselves and recruited members. The chapter again emphasises the diversity of patterns within the common framework.