The article, consisting of three thematic blocks, presents an interpretation of the main trends in the evolution of
modern scientific and philosophical discussions on general problems of education and educational policy that continue
with unabated intensity for the past two decades in Western analytical literature. The priority is given to the analysis of
modern theories of education and their interrelations with the ancient tradition, which still affects the modern concepts
of democracy and citizenship. The author also explores the various, sometimes diametrically opposed approaches of
scientists to the analysis of the phenomenon of globalization and the causes of the crisis of traditional democratic insti- tutions and educational systems. The review also presents critical assessments of the value of diverse studies, in which
scholars clearly strive to revive and reinterpret both the classical philosophy of education of the XVIII-XIX centuries and
the heritage of the greatest education theorists of the twentieth century