Providing one of the first accounts in English of the work of the founding scholars of comparative education in Latin America from the 19th and 20th centuries, this book presents a detailed analysis of their influence on the field and highlights the pivotal role played by each scholar in the development of comparative education in the Global South.

The book chiefly comprises biographical contributions about the achievements of significant Latin American scholars both in terms of critical historical-epistemological traditions and educational reforms that impacted the development of Latin American societies and education systems. Across 13 chapters, the book discusses travellers who contributed to the post-independence period of nation-building; progressive reformers inspired by the work of John Dewey; and finally, scholars who played a key role in the institutionalisation of the field of comparative education in the region. Novel in its focus, even considering publications in Spanish and Portuguese, the book ultimately appeals to the current interest in understanding comparative education and its history as a worldwide project.

Exploring the history of comparative education beyond the confines of established Anglo-European accounts, this volume will be of great interest to researchers and scholars in comparative and international education, history of education and Latin American studies.