
The Future of Education
Reimagining its Aims and Responsibilities
Oxford University Press Inc
Published on 20. April 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
444 pages
978-0-19-766973-0 (ISBN)
Description
What are the aims of education? What role can education play in responding to the climate crisis, or to the mental health crisis among young people today? Are educators responsible for teaching students how to build healthy relationships? How can we understand decolonial approaches to teaching and learning, or begin to conceive of educational justice -- particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic?
The Future of Education explores these questions among others, bringing together leading international scholars in the philosophy of education to address some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary teaching and learning. In this robust and timely volume, contributors draw upon recent research across several fields -- including philosophy, education, and the social sciences -- to address and raise important inquiries concerning the aims, responsibilities, and future of education.
Drawing out the significant implications for educators and policymakers, this unprecedented collection explores character education, the role of student well-being in education and how to most effectively improve it, art's role in countering extremist narratives, and the necessity of student mentorship by university teachers as an important pathway to improving the future of education.
The Future of Education explores these questions among others, bringing together leading international scholars in the philosophy of education to address some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary teaching and learning. In this robust and timely volume, contributors draw upon recent research across several fields -- including philosophy, education, and the social sciences -- to address and raise important inquiries concerning the aims, responsibilities, and future of education.
Drawing out the significant implications for educators and policymakers, this unprecedented collection explores character education, the role of student well-being in education and how to most effectively improve it, art's role in countering extremist narratives, and the necessity of student mentorship by university teachers as an important pathway to improving the future of education.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
635 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-766973-0 (9780197669730)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Book
approx. 01/2026
Oxford University Press Inc
€133.50
Not yet published
Persons
Jonathan Beale is a Research Affiliate at the Human Flourishing Program at the Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University. He has previously held positions as Academic Visitor at St Antony's College, University of Oxford, Researcher-in-Residence at Eton College, and Fellow in Philosophy at Harvard. He has published articles on philosophy and education in leading academic journals and media outlets including the New York Times, and is co-editor of four books.
Christina Easton is Assistant Professor in Ethics of Non-Violence at the University of Birmingham, and previously was a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Warwick. Her work has been published in journals including Philosophy, American Political Science Review, Theory and Research in Education, the Journal of Philosophy of Education, and the Journal of Applied Philosophy. Her monograph Teaching Values Whilst Respecting Difference will be published by Bloomsbury in 2026.
She co-authored Critical Religious Education in Practice (Routledge, 2019), a book widely used by teachers of religious education. Before going into academic research, Christina taught philosophy and religious studies at secondary schools for eight years.
Christina Easton is Assistant Professor in Ethics of Non-Violence at the University of Birmingham, and previously was a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Warwick. Her work has been published in journals including Philosophy, American Political Science Review, Theory and Research in Education, the Journal of Philosophy of Education, and the Journal of Applied Philosophy. Her monograph Teaching Values Whilst Respecting Difference will be published by Bloomsbury in 2026.
She co-authored Critical Religious Education in Practice (Routledge, 2019), a book widely used by teachers of religious education. Before going into academic research, Christina taught philosophy and religious studies at secondary schools for eight years.
Editor
Research AffiliateResearch Affiliate, Human Flourishing Program at the Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University
Assistant Professor in Ethics of Non-ViolenceAssistant Professor in Ethics of Non-Violence, University of Birmingham
Content
Chapter 1 - Catherine Z. Elgin: Fostering Flourishing Chapter 2 - Emily Robertson: Epistemic Aims of Education: Epistemic Autonomy or Epistemic Responsibility?
Chapter 3 - Matthew T. Lee & William G. Pearson, Jr.: Love as the Essence of Flourishing: Educational Experiments with the Subjunctive Mood
Chapter 4 - Jonathan Beale: What Role Should Human Flourishing Play Among Education's Aims?
Chapter 5 - Judith Suissa: Education, Schooling, and the Logic of Aims
Chapter 6 - Harvey Siegel: Education's Aims
Chapter 7 - Michael Hand: Against Flourishing as an Educational Aim
Chapter 8 - Laura D'Olimpio: Education Against Extremism Chapter 9 - Harry Brighouse: The Mentoring Responsibilities of University Teachers
Chapter 10 - Emma Williams: Education Without Cure: Responding to Mental Health in Schools Chapter 11 - Christina Easton: Forming an Orderly Queue: Remedying Educational Inequality in the Post-Covid World
Chapter 12 - Andree-Anne Cormier: Intimate Justice: A Liberal Case for Mandatory Relationships Education
Chapter 13 - Jane Gatley: Decolonising the School Curriculum and the Epistemic Aims of Education
Chapter 14 - David Johnson: Eyes Right! Global Uncertainty, Populism, and the Tussle for the Future of Education
Chapter 15 - Paul Standish: Education and the New Social Contract Chapter 16 - Winston C. Thompson: Beyond Distribution: Future Considerations of Educational Justice Chapter 17 - Christian B. Miller: Fostering Honesty: A Case Study in Defending and Implementing Character
Chapter 18 - Adrian Skilbeck: Climate, Crisis and the Future of Education
Chapter 3 - Matthew T. Lee & William G. Pearson, Jr.: Love as the Essence of Flourishing: Educational Experiments with the Subjunctive Mood
Chapter 4 - Jonathan Beale: What Role Should Human Flourishing Play Among Education's Aims?
Chapter 5 - Judith Suissa: Education, Schooling, and the Logic of Aims
Chapter 6 - Harvey Siegel: Education's Aims
Chapter 7 - Michael Hand: Against Flourishing as an Educational Aim
Chapter 8 - Laura D'Olimpio: Education Against Extremism Chapter 9 - Harry Brighouse: The Mentoring Responsibilities of University Teachers
Chapter 10 - Emma Williams: Education Without Cure: Responding to Mental Health in Schools Chapter 11 - Christina Easton: Forming an Orderly Queue: Remedying Educational Inequality in the Post-Covid World
Chapter 12 - Andree-Anne Cormier: Intimate Justice: A Liberal Case for Mandatory Relationships Education
Chapter 13 - Jane Gatley: Decolonising the School Curriculum and the Epistemic Aims of Education
Chapter 14 - David Johnson: Eyes Right! Global Uncertainty, Populism, and the Tussle for the Future of Education
Chapter 15 - Paul Standish: Education and the New Social Contract Chapter 16 - Winston C. Thompson: Beyond Distribution: Future Considerations of Educational Justice Chapter 17 - Christian B. Miller: Fostering Honesty: A Case Study in Defending and Implementing Character
Chapter 18 - Adrian Skilbeck: Climate, Crisis and the Future of Education