In the last half decade, a rising literature has focused on the idea that processes of economic, political and social globalization require analysis in terms of governance at the global level. It is argued in this article that emerging forms of global governance have produced significant challenges to conventional conceptions of international relations. Educational multilateralism is an area that has been significantly affected by such challenges, but to date there have not been many efforts by education scholars to sum up the relative impact and total effect of the various clusters of change affecting educational multilateralism. The article argues the importance of engaging with the most directly critical conceptualizations of the role played by education and educational multilateralism, while still maintaining a focus on the potential for positive forms of educational governance at the global level. (Contains 7 notes.)