Abstract
Political transformations have a decisive power to shape education systems in general and teacher education programs in particular. How these processes unfold is especially interesting in educational systems which are not generally known to Anglo-Saxon educators, like Germany, Russia, or China. Several chapters in this volume discuss the impact of statewide political transformation on teacher education programs. Political transformation is one of the important features of societies in the second half of the 20th century. Political transformations and changing ideologies are part of the history of teaching and teacher education. It is important to be aware of this process in order to keep the accumulated experience of the teaching profession alive and contribute to present day education policy and practice. Bringing ideological-political perspectives to bear on teacher education can deepen our understanding of the relation between society and teacher education. Moreover, it highlights the pivotal role that teachers play in any society. This volume presents different ways of analyzing teacher education programs through the lens of different ideologies and the influence of societal transformations.