Globalisation and the politics of accountability: issues and dilemmas for gender equity in education

This article considers issues of accountability for gender reform in educat ion given changing state formations accompanying globalisation processes an d pressures. It is argued that globalisation processes work in contradictor y ways. Hence, while market liberal ideologies and practices underpinning e conomic globalisation threaten to undermine gains which have been achieved in gender equity in education, there may be possibilities for a feminist en gagement with processes of political globalisation to assist the project of gender reform. Examples will be drawn from the Australian experience but, if globalisation theorists are correct, should have broader applicability.