Dr. Brent Edwards, a professor in the College of Education Department of Educational Foundations, is a co-author of a new book titled Education and Development in Central America and the Latin Caribbean: Global Forces and Local Responses.

About the Book
This book provides unique insights into the global forces and local responses that are shaping education systems in Central America and the Latin Caribbean (CALC). It covers all Spanish-speaking countries of the CALC region and examines the effects of macro-economic pressures, geopolitical intervention, neo-colonial relationships, global pandemics, transnational gang networks, and the influence of international organizations. Chapters analyze the challenges and opportunities these global forces present to education systems in the region as well as highlighting the local efforts to address, mitigate, and counteract them. In doing so, the book illuminates how education can contribute to either maintaining or challenging inequalities and exclusion in the face of pressures from the global to local levels.

About the Author
Dr. Brent Edwards Jr. is the EDEF Graduate Chair and Professor of Theory and Methodology in the Study of Education. His research focuses on the global governance of education; education policy, politics, and political economy with a focus on low-income countries; and democratic and socially just alternatives to dominant education models. His work has been published in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese. He received his PhD in International Education Policy from the University of Maryland.