This book examines dominant discourses of globalisation, cultural identity and academic achievement in schools, with particular attention to their implications for democracy, equality, social justice and human rights. Focusing on students’ cultural identities in a global era, the book explores how these identities are constructed, negotiated and redefined, and how they shape engagement with learning. It examines the influence of information and communication technologies and mass media, including social media, as powerful forces of globalisation that continuously form, transform and shape cultural identities across time, place and social context. The book analyses cultural identities as dynamic and socially situated, shaped by ongoing social, cultural, political and historical processes. It also considers the social factors that influence students’ learning in classrooms, highlighting how global forces intersect with local educational experiences.

Joseph Zajda is a Professor at the Faculty of Education and Arts, Australian Catholic University (Melbourne Campus). He specializes in globalization and education policy reforms, social justice, history education and values education. He has written and edited 60 books and over 150 book chapters and articles on globalization and education policy, higher education and curriculum reforms. He is also the Editor of the 74-volume book series Globalisation, Comparative Education and Policy Research. Recent publications include: Zajda, J (Ed). (2025a).Globalisation, performance culture and students’ motivation. Cham: Springer. Zajda, J. (Ed). (2025b). Overcoming discrimination in schools globally. Cham: Springer. Zajda, J. & Majhanovich, S. (Eds.) (2025). Globalisation and cultural diversity. Cham: Springer; and Zajda, J. & Kubow, P. (Eds.) (2025)G lobalisation, Education, and Policy Reforms on Refugee and Displaced Children in Non-Western Contexts. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. He was elected as Fellow of the Australian College of Educators (June 2013). He completed (with Professor Fred Dervin, University of Helsinki) the UNESCO report: Governance in education: Diversity and effectiveness. BRICS countries. Paris: UNESCO (2024).