Academic Freedom, Science, and Right-Wing Politics: Interview with Andrea Pető

This chapter explores the relationship between academic freedom, science, and right-wing politics using the example of the recent events around Professor Andrea Pető’s recent publication at Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte which lead to her resignation from the Hungarian Accreditation Committee. It illustrates how illiberal democracies shake the space not only independent media and NGOs but also how they control and pressure public institutions. This chapter locates this individual experience in the complex relationships between populism, extreme-right and epistemic controversies.