The expansion of the European Union in the 21th century will bring with it new tasks in education. Among the predominant ones are issues related to commonalities and diversities found within each nation's own education system. Until now the European states have focused on diversities found within their own national education systems. The ongoing integration process in Europe will mean transnational perspectives need more attention. Processes of globalisation, economic integration, social mobility, migration and political integration will persist into the next century and produce new forms of commonalities, inside and outside nation states. The relationship of these processes of commonalities and diversities is a major problem and challenge for all education systems . . This volume deals with isssues related to this development in seven fields: history and theory of education, ethnicity, teacher education, youth care and special educational needs, media based education, woman and gender studies, higher education. The 43 articles are written by more than 50 authors from 15 European countries. (DIPF/Orig.)