Abstract
The network aimed at improving the quality of political economy analysis of education in partnership with academics, policymakers and practitioners in conflict-affected countries.The core objective of the PEER Network was to develop a critical and locally grounded approach to Political Economy Analysis (PEA) of Education that would help national, regional and global level policymakers and practitioners make socially just decisions about investments in education that benefit students in contexts of conflict and crisis.It also aimed to diversify the pool of researchers operating in this global research field, so often dominated by Western agencies and actors.The project's goal was also the establishment of sustainable regional hubs promoting North/ South and South/South expertise in conflict-affected countries, based on principles of equitable partnership, involving dialogical processes for the co-production of knowledge, skills and expertise in political economy analysis of education systems in situations of conflict and protracted crises.As well as providing free access to online tools and resources that will inform and facilitate effective political economy analysis of education in these contexts, the Network recruited Early Career Researchers from Central Asia and Africa, who became PEER Fellows, and undertook a 2-year research and training process supporting them to undertake political economy analysis of education systems in their own contexts.These small-scale research projects were funded through the programme and this special issue seeks to showcase their work.The Special Issue features 14 papers, exploring the political economy of education in diverse conflictaffected and post-colonial settings.The collection highlights the complex interplay between education, power, and inequality, shaped by historical legacies