Is authoritarianism in the 21st century different from its 20th century counterpart?
How might educational institutions be conscripted for authoritarian ends (or to combat those ends)?
How should concerned educators understand and respond to contemporary authoritarianism?
Authoritarianism is a political outlook in which the power of the state to command and coerce citizens is seen to legitimately trump democratic values, the rule of law and civil liberties. Observers have documented a rise in authoritarian political attitudes across the globe. It has become increasingly clear educational systems have been an influential lever in advancing an authoritarian outlook, both in terms of the internal culture of educational institutions themselves (e.g., pressure to conform to various ideological precepts) and with respect to the political exploitation of public worries about the trustworthiness of those same institutions (e.g., moral panic about ‘indoctrination’). It is undeniable that education is key to understanding authoritarianism as a 21st century phenomenon.
This symposium session will feature scholarly work that aims to address these, and related, themes followed by a discussion with the audience.
Event Details
Thursday, April 17
3:30 to 5:30 p.m. PST
In-Person on the UBC Okanagan Campus
Online via Zoom
Room location and Zoom link will be emailed.
Speakers
Fedor Korochkin
TU Dortmund University, Germany
Center for Independent Social Research – U.S., Washington, D.C.
Thomas Heilke
Department of Economics, Philosophy and Political Science,
The University of British Columbia Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada
Manuela Ungureanu
Department of Economics, Philosophy and Political Science
The University of British Columbia Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada
Christopher Martin
Director, Centre for Mindful Engagement,
Okanagan School of Education, British Columbia, Canada
Supported by
The Centre for Mindful Engagement and the Department of Economics, Philosophy and Political Science