This special issue contains five articles that have been written by members of our research network. As we have said above, these articles have emerged out of our combined efforts at grappling collectively with Southern Theory and education. As such the editorial process we have undertaken has been collaborative (although not usually without a deal of debate), and we hope will be productive - in an intellectual, not instrumental sense that is! The articles included here are very diverse in their foci and contexts and we hope that they may stimulate thought and offer resources for, and examples of, doing Southern Theory in Education.