State of Research

After introducing the conceptual framework of the research project (see Chap. 3 ), this chapter presents the state of research related to the main focus areas of this work—mechanisms of educational policy implementation (see Sect. 4.1) and mechanisms of educational inequalities (see Sect. 4.2). This makes it possible to relate the theoretical lenses to each other and to put the importance of languages in relation to tackling educational inequalities into perspective. Both aspects are discussed first in a more general view in the field of education and in regard to an international perspective of research based on the theories applied in the previous chapter. Section 4.3 provides a short outline of early childhood education policies and programs also related to multilingual education policies. This is followed by the state of research focusing on early childhood education and care. The fourth section (see Sect. 4.4) then focuses on the state of research in Luxembourg regarding educational inequalities attributed to multilingualism in general and with an emphasis on early childhood education and care. Finally, this chapter is summarized, followed by an outline of the research desiderata (see Sect. 4.5).