Rising Complexities in Education: Opportunities and Inequalities

Bourdieu Study Group’s
Mid Term International Conference 2025

Rising Complexities in Education:
Opportunities and Inequalities

Recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine (with a dramatic impact on energy and food prices), and extreme weather events in many parts of the world have accelerated social inequalities. This has contributed to widening educational inequalities, and the role of educational institutions in counteracting crises has become an ever more pressing question. In addition, an expansion and diversification of educational pathways has led to exclusionary mechanisms becoming more subtle. Educational opportunities have increased, but questions of who profits from this expansion, who is equipped to successfully navigate them and who is left behind arise. In this context, combating educational inequalities has become more complex and the intersectional interplay of various social relations (e.g. class, gender, race, and disability) creates new forms of both disadvantage and privilege. Therefore, to initiate meaningful change, it is crucial to understand the ambivalent role of the education system in creating opportunities and perpetuating inequalities.

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