Although education researchers have drawn on the work of a wide diversity of theorists, a number of these have been of particular significance to education. While the likes of Karl Marx, Antonio Gramsci, John Dewey and Paulo Freire influenced previous generations of educational theorists, much of the more contemporary theory building has revolved around a quartet of well-known and much-debated thinkers Jacques Derrida, Pierre Bourdieu, Michel Foucault and Jürgen Habermas. However, while the influence of these thinkers has grown considerably over the last number of years, both their original work and its application to education can prove challenging to the educational practitioner. This edited book expertly rectifies this omission in educational theory, and delivers a text that is both advanced and accessible, offering the education practitioner/researcher a suitable guide to assist their acquisition and application of social theory. Importantly, the book contextualizes the various theories within the broader context of social philosophy and the historical development of different forms of thought. This approach makes the building of connections between various theories a much more accessible and adroidt process. Central to this is an exploration of the particular ways in which the work of Bourdieu et al have contributed to the following areas: Inequality and schooling Notions of educational selves and subjectivities Curricular and pedagogical practice Performativity, audit cultures and accountability This book will be incredibly useful to post-graduate student teachers who wish to develop their capacity to engage with these debates at an advanced level. It will also prove of great interest to anyone involved in Educational policy and theory.