The aim of this article is the explication of the identity of Comparative Education and a critical reflection thereon, by means of a journal analysis of articles published in the Comparative Education Review during the first 50 years of its existence. The 1157 articles were analyzed under the following rubrics: levels of analysis of articles; number of units covered by articles; geographical area which articles deal with authors: numbers, countries and institutional affiliation; research methods; paradigmatic affiliations; phase of education articles cover; mode of education articles deal with; and themes/topics focused on. The analysis revealed two equally strong trends – a remarkable resilience/constancy amidst a broadening. For example, the hermeneutic paradigm continues to be the most frequent paradigm, although there has been a significant diversification of paradigms recently. Comparative Education still has the ‘black box’ character, whereby things outside educational institutions (i.e. shaping forces of education and societal effects of education) are studied more than that which takes place inside educational institutions. The study suggests that there is much scope for the expansion of Comparative Education along new lines. Some of these are pointed out.

South Africa is struggling with the problem of indiscipline in schools. The issue of indiscipline in South African schools has been subjected to research for almost two decades. This research has revealed that learner (in)discipline in a school is related to six sets of factors, namely learner-related factors, teacher-related factors, school-related factors, education system-related factors, parent-related factors, and society-related factors. All of these factors have now been researched in respect to the situation in South Africa, with the exception of the parent / community factor. The aim of this article is to report on research that was done regarding this outstanding factor with regard to learner (in)discipline in South African schools. The constructivist-interpretivist approach was employed, in order to recast information gleaned from available international literature into a theoretical framework. The South African context was then analysed by using the theoretical framework. It was found that within the parental-community factor in determining the state of learner-discipline in schools four sub-factors can be distinguished, namely parental style, parental model for example, family stress and parent-school relations. These have definite life-philosophical underpinnings, which are also outlined in analysing and interpreting the South African situation.

Based on the authors’ wide reading in the field, this article suggests the notion of the narrative as a fitting and meaningful way of conceptualising and mapping the field of comparative education. Four prominent narratives can be identified in not only the field of comparative education (and the scholarly discourse on education) but also the public discourse on education. These are the narratives of the capability theory, neoliberal economics, the creed of human rights, and the call for social justice. These narratives are contrasted, and guidelines are offered for further research on reconstructing and reflecting on the current state of comparative education and its future trajectory.

The aim of this lead article of this special issue of Compare is to assess the value of Jullien’s vision for the field of comparative and international education today. The life, writings and ideas of Jullien are sketched, followed by a survey of the path of development of the field since the time of Jullien. In view of the exigencies of the early-twenty-first century, the article argues that Jullien’s philanthropic vision holds up a beacon for a future trajectory of the field. This article also introduces the other contributions to this volume by using them to illustrate, to refine and to qualify this thesis.