Two Sides of the Same Coin

Using the example of Slovak education, the book describes two sides of totalitarianism: the ideals of the official education subordinated to government power and the ideals of the unofficial education. The authors seek answers to Hannah Arendt's iconic questions: What happened? Why did it happen? How could this happen?

The book examines Slovak education as an example of totalitarianism, exploring two opposing sides: the publicly expressed values and ideals of offi cial compulsory education subordinated to government power and the alternative ideals and concepts of unofficial education implemented by informal groups and underground organizations (dissent). The authors seek answers to Hannah Arendt's iconic questions: What happened? Why did it happen? How could this happen? The title of the book also references the dualism in the lives of individuals and families who did not identify with the doctrine of Marxism-Leninism and totalitarian ways of governing. In order to preserve their inner freedom, they lived a double life, one in private and the other in public.

Autorentext

Blanka Kudlá ová is Professor of Education at Trnava University, Slovakia. Her research and publications focus on the area of history of education, especially of Slovakia in the 20th century.

Inhalt

Description and Explanation of the Socialist Totalitarianism in Slovakia - Official Education Clenched by Sovietization and Marxist-Leninist Ideology - Unofficial Education in Different Segments of Dissent - Towards a Free Generation