FORUM Globalisation and schooling: equity and access issues Joseph Zajda Received: 20 December 2010 / Accepted: 20 December 2010 / Published online: 1 February 2011 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011 Abstract This review essay focuses on the prominence given to globalisation and dis- courses of globalisation in education reforms and pedagogy, as well as the way conceptual thinking in this area has changed and developed, due to competing ideologies, forces of globalisation and political, economic and cultural transformations. It analyses and evalu- ates the shifts in methodological approaches to globalisation and its effects on education policy and pedagogy. It focuses on forces of globalisation, ideology, social inequality and implications for equity and access to quality education. Keywords Neoliberalism Á Equity Á Access Á Stratification Á Globalisation Global reproduction and educational transformation Kenneth Tobin in ‘Global reproduction and transformation of science education’ discusses the impact of globalization, neoliberal ideology, standardisation of curricula (in science in particular), and economic and cultural capital on life chances of urban youth and their participation in science education. He explores a rather complex nexus between politico- economic systems, educational institutions, cultures, and inequality and classroom peda- gogies. He argues that neoliberal ideologies, as global hegemonies in all spheres of our society, reproduce and legitimize social and economic inequities in education. Tobin is right to argue that schooling is affected by globalisation, and academic standards-driven reforms. He is haunted by the role of ‘neoliberalism in creating and maintaining an eco- nomic super class,’ and he asks: Forum response to K. Tobin, Globalisation and schooling: equity and access issues. Cultural Studies of Science Education. J. Zajda (&) Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia e-mail: j.zajda@acu.edu.au 123 Cult Stud of Sci Educ (2011) 6:143–152 DOI 10.1007/s11422-010-9309-z