2 September 2026, by Grotlüschen/Red.

Photo: UHH/Hansen

Prof. Dr. Anke Grotlüschen

The University of Hamburg is the scientific home to more than 6,200 researchers. Every 2 weeks, we offer a glimpse into their work as part of the “Doing the research” series in the Hamburger Abendblatt. In this edition, Prof. Dr. Anke Grotlüschen explains how educational institutions can develop effective strategies to counter hostility toward democracy.

My research focuses on adult education, particularly literacy and basic education. To that end, I work closely with institutions such as adult education centers that offer relevant educational programs. In conversations, one hears more and more often that municipal adult education centers in small counties with a high potential for anti-democratic voting are asking themselves: With whom do I kick off the semester? Who writes the foreword for my educational program? Do I have to pose for a press photo with a local politician, even though he holds far-right views and would prefer to shut down my educational center?

We have therefore launched the citizen science project Resilient Democracy in Education to investigate how adult education institutions can defend themselves against pressure from the far right. Various education leaders from politics, the church, labor unions, the cultural sector, and schools are collaborating with us on this. Through a comprehensive online survey, we were able to compile a total of 57 case studies and derive counterstrategies from them. By comparing these findings with those from the research literature, we were able to identify the opportunities and limitations of each approach.

Why even courses like acrylic painting or sewing might suddenly be under threat

It’s important to understand that far-right parties oppose all educational offerings that are democratic, sustainable, diverse, or inclusive. This applies not only to integration courses or lectures on climate change, but also to courses like sewing or acrylic painting, because these are where democratic education takes place on a small scale. We know from international research that after one or two legislative terms under right-wing populist governments, many of these courses are either scaled back or overlaid with traditionalist content. The argument put forward by anti-democratic parties threatening lawsuits, parliamentary inquiries, and discussions about budget cuts is often that the programs are not “neutral.”

In our research, for example, a clear explanation of the legal situation has proven very helpful in this regard. This is because, in addition to the act on the status of civil servants (Gesetz zur Regelung des Statusrechts der Beamtinnen und Beamten in den Ländern, BeamtStG), the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany establishes a mandate and obligation for all individuals working at public educational institutions to criticize and prevent any attack on democracy. In practice, of course, this is a major challenge, especially for those on the ground.

Even spaces for exchange need clear boundaries

Here, we were able to demonstrate that a strong, openly communicated mission statement helps to consistently and quickly prevent the disruption of events. And although adult education programs explicitly see themselves as spaces for exchange—even with those considering voting for a far-right party—clear boundaries must apply, for example, when arguments go in circles. In such cases, only “firewall” strategies—such as bans on speaking, attending courses, or entering the premises—may be effective. And it’s not uncommon for small, creative solutions to work as well: Not every instance of far-right graffiti needs to be removed at great expense if you have a suitable sticker on hand.

Incidentally, in our project we’re examining a wide range of areas in adult education, including corporate continuing education: Do companies still offer leadership training for women? Are there diversity programs and anti-racism training sessions? In the US, we’ve seen that some companies scrapped these programs immediately after Donald Trump took office, others renamed them, and still others are launching them now more than ever. Through our analysis of case studies, we were able to show that company agreements can help strengthen a shared stance and commitment to democracy. Visible statements from top management also have an impact.

The dissemination of our findings was integrated from the very beginning through our citizen science approach. The German Adult Education Association (Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband), for example, has since launched the vhs demokratiestark initiative to specifically strengthen adult education centers as places of democracy. We’ve also received feedback from other partners that the exchange on these challenges is considered very helpful. The organizations that run these institutions are developing a shared, resilient stance as a result—and we can support them with our scientific findings.

(This content has been translated automatically.)