The danger of not facing history: Exploring the link between education about the past and present-day anti-Semitism and racism in Hungary

Abstract

Until a few years ago the international media devoted scant attention to Hungary. Recently, however, multiple news reports and analyses have expressed concern about rising racism and extremism in this country, as well as a sense that the country’s democracy is unraveling. It has often been argued that economic hardship is an important contributor to the rise of extremism. However, increasing evidence supports the argument that economic factors are only part of the picture in Hungary. This essay explores the link between educational factors in this picture and the rise of Romaphobia, xenophobia, and anti-Semitism in Hungary. We argue that the failure to appropriately deal with the history of the World War II is reflected in the educational system, contributing to a climate of intolerance. The rise of extremism is always a consequence of a complex set of factors, and educational approaches should need to be included in analyses that attempt to explore the roots of rising extremism in Hungary.