We kindly invite you to a lecture by dr. Judith Goetz entitled »Attacks on Political Education as Democratic Erosion: The Peršmanhof Case in Austria«, which will take place as part of Tuesday Meetings on Friday, 24 April 2026, at 11.00 am in the library of the Institute of Criminology at the Faculty of Law Ljubljana.
This lecture examines attacks on political education as indicators of the erosion of democracy in today’s Europe.
Using the example of the Peršmanhof incident in Austria in 2025 – where the Carinthian police carried out a large-scale raid on an educational camp and the memorial itself was subjected to public attacks and delegitimising narratives – the lecture illustrates how illiberal actors are increasingly targeting spaces dedicated to historical learning, anti‑fascist memory, and civic empowerment. The Peršmanhof case illustrates how educational initiatives can be reinterpreted as threats, thereby normalizing illiberal practices and undermining trust in democratic institutions.
Beyond this specific incident, the presentation situates the case within the broader context of pressure on political education: the establishment of reporting platforms for teachers, the strategically narrowed interpretation of political neutrality, and public campaigns that portray educators as ideological actors. These developments demonstrate how illiberal tendencies seek to restrict critical engagement, weaken pluralistic debates, and delegitimize democratic pedagogy. By linking these trends, the presentation argues that attacks on political education are not isolated incidents but rather part of a broader strategy to reshape democratic norms and limit citizens’ capacity for critical political engagement.
Dr. Judith Goetz is a political scientist, educational researcher, gender scholar, and expert on right‑wing extremism. She is a member of the research group “Ideologies and Politics of Inequality” (FIPU). Currently, she works as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Innsbruck in the field of political education.
Her research focuses on women/gender and right‑wing extremism as well as antifeminism and political education. Her most recent publications include the edited volume “Global Perspectives on Antifeminism” (2023) and her dissertation “Gender Politics of the Identitarian Movement: A Contribution to Political Education Against Right‑Wing Extremism” (2024).
Event will be held in English.
Contact person and event moderator: Iva Ramuš Cvetkovič.
Video or audio recording of the event is not allowed.
