Politics

Folk High Schools, Adult Education, and the Philosophy of Nikolaj Grundtvig

Why the 19th Century Danish educator should be embraced by libertarians

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"Grundtvig is our man for this time. He's still relevant," says Clay Warren, a professor of communication at George Washington University and author of The School for Life: N.F.S. Grundtvig on the Education for the People.

Nikolaj Grundtvig, a 19th century Danish educator and a contemporary of Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard, helped pioneer the folk high school, an adult educational institution that is common in Scandinava. The school does not grant academic degrees but rather fosters intellectual thinking and discussions through community engagement. 

Warren sat down with Reason's Nick Gillespie to discuss his book, the educational philosophy underpinning Grundtvig's work, as well as Grundtvig's emphasis on individual potential and development. 

About 11 minutes. 

Edited by Amanda Winkler. Camera by Joshua Swain and Todd Krainin.