Teachers and teaching in a shifting landscape of education: A global perspective

Abstract

This article introduces and critically frames the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in a Shifting Landscape of Education: A Global Perspective by examining how teacher work is being reshaped in response to escalating policy demands, socio-political instability, and systemic disruption. Drawing on contributions from seven national contexts, it identifies three core tensions that characterize contemporary teaching: between autonomy and systemic control, individual and collective professionalism, and stability and disruption. Rather than offering a descriptive overview, the article develops a comparative analytical framework to interpret how teacher agency, motivation, and collaboration emerge under divergent governance regimes and crisis conditions. By foregrounding the role of trust, institutional culture, and socio-emotional dynamics, the article argues for a relational and context-sensitive understanding of teacher professionalism. It concludes by calling for research that not only compares systems, but also captures the embedded, negotiated, and affective nature of teaching in times of transformation.