Reforms in Education
A European Research Network
The main aim of this project ”Reforms in Education: A European Research Network” is to promote interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological reflection on educational reforms in Europe during the 20th century. This network will pursue 4 forms of activities during 2020-2022: international workshops, invited speakers, international research stays, and fully funded conference participations.
This network is directed by Johannes Westberg (Groningen, NL/Örebro, Swe), together with Mette Buchardt (Aalborg), Michael Geiss (Zurich), and Jane Gingrich (Oxford). The network is funded by a grant from the Swedish Research Council.
Workshops and seminars
Research Seminar: March 17, 2022
Hybrid Research Seminar: ”The political project of secularization and modernization through education reform” (Aalborg, DK), Thursday March 17, 2022, 12.30-18.00 (CET).
Summer School: 13-17 June, 2022
Summer school: ”Historical methods in pedagogical and educational sciences” (Groningen, NL), 13 – 17 June 2022,
Public Seminar: October 26, 2022
Public seminar: Antiracist education – Reforming public education through perspectives from below (Copenhagen, DK, October 26, 2022, 10:00-16:30)
Research Seminar: 2 February, 2023
Workshop: Gender, Feminist, and Women’s History of Education in the 20th Century (Zurich University of Teacher Education, CH, Feburary 2, 2023)
Seminar, September 29 2021 (irl+online)
”Education Politics and hidden Cold War Schemes” (Aalborg, DK), 13:00-18:00 CET
Workshop, March 18-19, 2021 (online)
”Mapping Interest Groups in Education” (University of Oxford)
Online seminar series, spring 2021
”The Rise of Education Across European Regions in the Last Two Centuries Program
Lecture series 2020-21
During the autumn of 2020, during the start of the covid-19 pandemic, this network organized a first international online lecture series from September to December titled ”Educational reforms”. Speakers were: Adam Laats, Binghamton University (SUNY); Susannah Wright, Oxford Brookes University; Nelli Piattoeva, University of Tampere, Finland; Julian Garritzmann, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany. More information is found here>>
A second international lecture series will be held during the late spring and early autumn of 2021. More information is found here.
The purpose of this network
Theoretical work
The main theoretical result of the network’s activities will be the further development of a concept of educational reform that can be applied to different national contexts, for international comparisons and the analysis of policy or knowledge transfer over time.
Collaboration
On a more practical level, this vital theoretical work will form the basis of collaborative articles, further national and international research applications based on these theoretical advances, and new career opportunities for postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers in the form of the network activities to be undertaken.
Outlook
On the basis of already established contacts between the researchers of the steering committee, the network will also promote further collaborations between the research teams.
Steering Committe
Johannes Westberg
University of Groningen
Mette Buchardt
Aalborg University
Michael Geiss
University of Zurich
Jane Gingrich
University of Oxford
Imprint
Prof. Dr. Johannes Westberg
Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences
History and Philosophy of Education — Department Pedagogy
Grote Rozenstraat 38
9712 TJ Groningen
The Netherlands
Reforms in Education 
