Who Controls Education?

Susanne Wiborg is Reader in Education at University College London, UK. Her research focusses on the policy and politics of education reform in Europe. She is co-editor of The Comparative Politics of Education: Teacher Unions and Educations Systems Around the World (2017) with Terry M. Moe.

• 1. Battle for influence: interest group politics in education; 2. Getting entrenched: influencing multi-level governance structures, 1960–1980; 3. Shifting power: losing power centrally but making gains locally and in the EU, 1980–2000; 4. Domination: exercising influence at all levels, 2000–2020; 5. Conclusion: controlling education from both the top and the bottom.

'Through rigorous research across England, France, Germany and Sweden, Wiborg reveals how teachers' unions and education interest groups have become masterful political actors in Europe. This groundbreaking study shows how these organisations shape education policy at every level, from local schools to EU institutions, transforming our understanding of modern education governance.' Daniel DiSalvo, Professor of Political Science, City College of New York–CUNY