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Education is widely recognized as a fundamental human right, yet the nature of the right remains unclear. Is it an entitlement to go to school, to acquire particular forms of knowledge or develop particular skills or attributes? And why exactly is education so important that we might defend all people's right to it? This book provides a much-needed exploration of this key contemporary issue. Highlighting limitations in the approaches of both the Education for All initiative and existing international law, the book presents a radical new vision of how the right can be understood. As well as basic education, there are discussions of higher and lifelong education, of human rights education, and of the intersection of rights-based approaches with others such Amartya Sen's'capabilities'. The work serves as a stirring defense of the universal right to education against instrumental conceptions of learning, the inactivity of national governments and the abrogation of responsibility of the international community.

Since 1948 when the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all students have been declared the right to education. The rights of disabled students have not been explicitly addressed, however, and each country has developed their own rules and regulations. Although similarities exist among the different countries, differences are evident, especially in both the extent and acknowledgment of these rights. The Legal Rights of Students with Disabilities: International Perspectives examines the rights of disabled students in ten diverse countries on six continents. Written by leading experts in education law, this volume provides comparative insights to help meet the educational needs of disabled students. The book also offers strategies to manage the legal and educational complexities associated with special education.

Among the greatest challenges of the twenty-first century is that of providing adequate educational opportunities to all citizens of the globe. The broad availability of such opportunities and the genuine ability to take advantage of them are fundamental components of any equitable society. In examining how widening access to education contributes to social justice, this anthology composes a tribute to the life and work of the Nigerian educationist Michael A. Omolewa. The twenty-seven contributions to this volume discuss foundational issues related to the educational dimensions of social justice, present overviews of approaches related to widening access, and analyze case studies from around the world, as well as consider future directions in education policy and research. This thematic depth is matched by the geographic representativeness of the work, with contributors coming from the global South and North. Widening Access to Education as Social Justice speaks with a credible and powerful voice about how making greater formal and informal educational opportunities available to men and women, young adults and children everywhere can help bring about more equitable ways of living together, thereby fostering the goods of cultural diversity, tolerance and respect along with the creativity and responsibility vital to bringing about actual social harmony.