Illiberal History Education: The Case of Hungary

From 2010 onwards, Hungary’s transformation into an illiberal democracy under the Fidesz-led government has fundamentally reshaped the country’s educational system and history curricula. This chapter examines the systematic transformation of history education in Hungary, analyzing the mechanisms through which illiberal governance impacts academic institutions. Through detailed analysis of curricular changes, textbook control, and institutional restructuring, the article demonstrates how history education has been instrumentalized to serve political objectives while maintaining the appearance of academic legitimacy. This chapter analyses the destruction of existing institutions, mostly by financial austerity. It introduces the sophisticated dual strategy of institutional transformation and epistemological reconstruction that characterizes the illiberal turn, offering insights into broader patterns of illiberal state capture in educational contexts.