This is an engaging discussion about the functions of education, drawing on a range of educational situations. “Education as a Global Concern” introduces the issues covered by this exciting new series, “Education as a Humanitarian Response”. Colin Brock challenges the existing functions of education as widely and conventionally perceived, and promotes the notion of education as a humanitarian response as the prime function. He will examine the educational situations of a range of human groups that are marginalized or excluded from mainstream provision and will also consider the idea that ‘humane’ means ‘appropriate’. This series presents an authoritative, coherent and focused collection of texts to introduce and promote the notion of education as a humanitarian response as a prime function of educational activity. The series takes a holistic interpretation of education, dealing not only with formal schooling and other systemic provisions in the mainstream, but rather with educational reality – teaching and learning in whatever form it comes at any age.