Far-Right Parties and the Politics of Education in Europe

This edited volume explores the highly topical, yet academically neglected, relationship between far- right parties and education policy in Europe. Although far- right parties have been the subject of much research in recent years, their approach to education has often been overlooked. The book challenges the idea that education is a low priority issue for these parties. It shows that they do pay attention to education, and that the issue plays a significant role in defining their socio- cultural strategy in particular. In seven case studies from Austria, Denmark, France, Italy, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, the authors of this volume illustrate how far- right parties frame education primarily as a means of promoting conservative and nativist values rather than as a tool for economic redistribution. Integrating insights from education studies and political science, this volume provides a comprehensive understanding of far- right educational approaches as a broader European phenomenon. It sheds light on the strategies of these influential political actors and their implications for the future of education and society in Europe. Essential reading for scholars and policymakers, this book offers valuable insights into the evolving partisan dynamics shaping the future of European education and societies.

This volume will be of interest to scholars and students in the fields of political science, education studies, and European politics, as well as policymakers concerned with the intersection of far- right parties, populist movements, and educational policy.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Contemporary European Studies.

Anja Giudici is Lecturer in Education at Cardiff University. Her work revolves around the politics and history of education, with a particular focus on how professional and partisan logics interact in shaping education systems in democracies.

Oliver Gruber is Associated Professor at the Department of Political Science at the University of Vienna. His research and teaching is focused on party politics, in particular radical right parties and populism, as well as migration and education policy, with a focus on the Austrian political system and the EU.

Philipp Schnell serves as the Director of the Austrian Institute for Research on Vocational Education and Training (öibf) and teaches at the Department of Sociology, University of Vienna. His research focuses on educational inequalities, vocational education, and education policies, both within Austria and from a comparative, international perspective.