ABSTRACT
In 2011, 67 million children around the world were not attending school (UNESCO, 2011). Education can improve quality of life, economic outcomes and reduce poverty. As such, this staggering number of out-of-school children is a risk to economic growth and stability. The increasing interconnectedness of our world means that global issues are local concerns. Stelmach ( 2011 : 32) notes the world economic crisis has only reinforced our interdependence and we need to ‘consider the impact of local decisions as well as a collective response to challenges’. Indeed, the fi nancial crisis has a signifi cant impact on those living in poverty, resulting in ‘innocent bystanders’ (Bermingham et al ., 2009 ) of a problem created by a powerful centre. However, there has also never been a greater need for governments to consider the priorities beyond their own territories with the ripple effect of increasing security and stability concerns, such as the events of the Arab spring in 2011.
