Global competence – Does the new OECD competence domain ignore the global South?

Global Competence is a domain developed for PISA 2018. We ask whether it ignor es voices from the Global South. Criteria are taken from Robertson, known for the theory of glocalisation as well as the educational scientist Seitz. Further criteria are added from a 21st century perspective. The discourse analysis uses documents available to the public since the PISA tender was launched by OECD in 2013. This includes minutes and drafts of an expert group, a webiar on the results of the consultation, held by Schleicher in 2015 and the final brochure on global competence. Results show that from the expert group towards the final brochure voices and theories from the Global South have been eliminated step by step during the procedure or are referred to in extra boxes (Ubuntu). Global competence levels are specified. Level one is described in a deficit-oriented terminology. Overall, the western, cognitive and rational, late modern discourse seems to be dominant while it silently disqualifies the areas ascribed as non-scientific, like religious, emotional, bodily issues (most of them being constructed as ‘female’ rather than ‘male’ and ‘colored/south’ than ‘white/male’). This happens even though the earlier document interestingly does reference on postcolonial, queer, feminist and moral theory.