A think tank for folkbildning and pedagogy
Education for a democratic society
Arete is an independent think tank for free education and democracy. We bring together voices, research and conversations on the role of folkbildning – Nordic popular education – and pedagogy in society, independent of any political party or religion.
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Latest essays
- Education Is for the People, Not the State: Moving Beyond the Public/Private Distinction
Article · Philosophical Inquiry in Education Carl-Anders Säfström’s article in Philosophical Inquiry in Education, Volume 33, on why education belongs to the people rather than the state. Abstract… Read more: Education Is for the People, Not the State: Moving Beyond the Public/Private Distinction - A Neoliberal Think Tank’s Historical Revisionism: When Ideology Masquerades as Fact
Below follows Arete’s response to Fredrik Segerfeldt’s op-ed of 30 April 2026, titled “The working class would have been better off if LO had never existed” — a… Read more: A Neoliberal Think Tank’s Historical Revisionism: When Ideology Masquerades as Fact
Arete podcast
Conversations on popular education, pedagogy and democracy
The Arete podcast explores folkbildning and pedagogy, hosted by Carl-Anders Säfström, Johanna Iggsten and Daniel Berton. Episodes are in Swedish; each comes with study material for study circles and discussion groups.
Platform
A national strategy for an educated society
In a time of rapid social change, the conditions for democracy, education and work are being reconsidered. Arete’s platform sets out how folkbildning can serve as load-bearing social infrastructure.