ABSTRACT
The study of the history of education has changed greatly over the past century. Once a byword for dry, rather complacent texts about the progress of national systems of education, it has become much more diverse and increasingly stimulated by debates and insights drawn from both history and the social sciences. During this long-term process, the field has experienced and withstood many vicissitudes. At times it has been popular and fashionable, and the subject of widespread interest. This was the case in the 1960s for example, at least in England and the US. At other times its general image has been unfavourable. Rather than being central to education and history, it has sometimes appeared to be marginal to both.
