School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Theses

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The International Baccalaureate in Australia and Canada: 1980-1993

Bagnall, Nigel Fraser ( 1994-09)

This dissertation is a study of the International Baccalaureate(IB) in the education systems of Canada and Australia. The IB has been described as a world movement. The number of global institutions and social movements are increasing greatly in the 1990s. The thesis looks at the historical development of the IB, recent developments of the IB in Canada and Australia and develops the claim that the IB has become a provider of global cultural capital. The theoretical paradigm adopted is that of Pierre Bourdieu. Conclusions of the study are: 1. in Australia and Canada the IB is as important for the ‘symbolic imposition’ it bestows on holders of the IB as it is for the stated intentions of educating the whole person. 2. the IB functions as an agent of ‘reproduction’ rather than as an international laboratory for experiment both in curriculum and examining methods as originally intended by the founders of the IB. 3 students participating in the IB increase their potential for advantage in the ‘global field’.