This book explores the relation of state practices and educational knowledge to changes in culture and economics among nations. The 14 articles in the volume are organized around 4 themes: (1) conventional notions of the state that emphasize institutional structures and stability are inadequate for the task of assessing change in education; (2) an understanding of the interrelation of local, national, and international systems is central to understanding change in education; (3) the exploration of the governing patterns of education is important to interpreting changes; and (4) the changing patterns of a state's steering of education and governing draw attention to the social location of intellectuals. The focus on the international setting underscores the interrelatedness of state practices with larger sets of cultural and economic relations that exist among nations. It is claimed that by studying educational reforms as an arena of political conflict, researchers may develop a social theory that is historically grounded. The regional cases focus on the policies of the European Union, restructuring efforts in Latin America, and family, child welfare, and childhood policies in Eastern Europe. In addition, specific studies of national changes in Argentina, Great Britain, Germany, Russia, Tanzania, South Africa, and the United States are presented. (Contains an index.) (RJM)