In less than two weeks I'm joining the European University Institute as a Fernand Braudel Senior Fellow. I'm beyond honored and excited to join such a terrific group of scholars. Fall sabbatical, here I come! @eui-eu.bsky.social
A.S. Paglayan
@aspaglayan.bsky.social
Prof. Paglayan at UCSanDiego; Non-Resident Fellow at CGDev. Author of "Raised to Obey: The Rise and Spread of Mass Education." I write and teach about politics and education. https://www.amazon.com/Raised-Obey-Education-Princeton-Economic/dp/069126127X/
Brief pause from Messi's magic to share my new piece in the Annual Review of Political Science: "Education as a Political Institution" which explains why we should stop treating education as just another public service Open access here: tinyurl.com/yezzkam5
Education as a Political Institution
Education institutions are fundamentally political. They mold political values, shape inequality, create opportunities for patronage through teaching jobs, and can even be used for political surveilla...
tinyurl.com
I'm deeply grateful to the American Educational Studies Association for recognizing my book with a Critics' Choice Book Award. @princetonupress.bsky.social @aesatalk.bsky.social Check out "Raised to Obey: The Rise and Spread of Mass Education" here: www.amazon.com/Raised-Obey-...
Raised to Obey: The Rise and Spread of Mass Education (The Princeton Economic History of the Western World)
Raised to Obey: The Rise and Spread of Mass Education (The Princeton Economic History of the Western World)
amazon.com
Congratulations to @aspaglayan.bsky.social, whose book Raised to Obey: The Rise and Spread of Mass Education was selected as a Winner of the @aesatalk.bsky.social's Critics' Choice Book Award! Learn more about this fascinating history here: hubs.ly/Q03Myyn20
At #APSA2025? Join me Thursday at 10am at the Author Meets Critics theme panel on "Raised to Obey" (@princetonupress.bsky.social) w/ Beatriz Magaloni, Pablo Beramendi & @owasow.bsky.social We'll discuss state-building, democracy, civil war, academic freedom, and more, and have ample time for Q&A!
At #APSA2025? Join me Thursday at 10am at the Author Meets Critics theme panel on "Raised to Obey" (@princetonupress.bsky.social) w/ Beatriz Magaloni, Pablo Beramendi & @owasow.bsky.social We'll discuss state-building, democracy, civil war, academic freedom, and more, and have ample time for Q&A!
What academic articles/books on the comparative politics or political economy of education published since the 2000s did you find most compelling, interesting, and/or important for others to read? Asking for a friend ;)
Blast from the past! Do you know where else we've seen politicians talk about "bloodthirsty" criminals? In 19th century arguments for deploying schooling to indoctrinate the "bloodthirsty" masses. I show this in "Raised to Obey" (@princetonupress.bsky.social) Link: www.amazon.com/Raised-Obey-...
Aaaah!! Just learned that "Raised to Obey" (@princetonupress.bsky.social) has won the 2025 J. David Greenstone Book Prize for the best book in politics and history published in 2023-24. I'm speechless, grateful, and beyond thrilled by this recognition!
Raised to Obey: The Rise and Spread of Mass Education (The Princeton Economic History of the Western World)
Amazon.com: Raised to Obey: The Rise and Spread of Mass Education (The Princeton Economic History of the Western World): 9780691261270: Paglayan, Agustina: Books
amazon.com
If you're at EPSA 2025, join us for an Author Meets Critics discussion of my book "Raised to Obey: The Rise and Spread of Mass Education" With Elias Dinas, Carl Knutsen and Johannes Lindvall @eliasdinas.bsky.social @chknutsen.bsky.social . 1:10pm at A0.10
I will be at EPSA for the first time ever. Any tips on how to make the most of it?
Tenured! Grateful to the many mentors, colleagues, and friends whose support has enabled me to thrive. It takes a village.
"How Southern Politicians Reformed Textbooks to Resist Civil Rights Demands" -- my new article in the Journal of Historical Political Economy. Ungated version: tinyurl.com/y32wev8y
Excited to read @aspaglayan.bsky.social’s new study which finds ”while non-Southern text-books evolved to better reflect Black activists’ curriculum demands, Alabama textbooks largely retained narratives that minimized or erased history of racial discrimination” www.nowpublishers.com/article/Deta...
Excited to read @aspaglayan.bsky.social’s new study which finds ”while non-Southern text-books evolved to better reflect Black activists’ curriculum demands, Alabama textbooks largely retained narratives that minimized or erased history of racial discrimination” www.nowpublishers.com/article/Deta...
Super fun interview with @asteriskmag.bsky.social in which we talk about "Raised to Obey" (@princetonupress.bsky.social) but also: - is "indoctrination for democracy" desirable? - is low education quality driven by "low state capacity"? and more! asteriskmag.com/issues/10/wh...
What Are Schools For?—Asterisk
The modern education system around the world continues to bear the imprint of mass education’s original goal: obedience.
asteriskmag.com
The first PhD student whose dissertation I've chaired is graduating a month from today. They just asked me to be their hooding advisor. I have tears in my eyes. May I never take for granted what an honor it is to be someone's trusted advisor.
Huge huge kudos to @anthropic.com for releasing this detailed overview of how students are using AI. Some pretty concerning trends here, such as students completely off-loading higher-level reasoning to LLM and mostly prompting for direct answers. www.anthropic.com/news/anthrop...
Anthropic Education Report: How University Students Use Claude
AI systems are no longer just specialized research tools: they’re everyday academic companions. As AIs integrate more deeply into educational environments, we need to consider important questions abou...
anthropic.com
University professors in recent weeks have begun reorganizing collectively or, in some universities, doing so for the first time This would be a good time for academics to question the common assumption that K-12 teachers join unions primarily to push for higher salaries
This is today at 11am EST. Join us in person if you're in DC or online if not!
Tomorrow (April 1) at 11 am EDT: @cato.org welcomes @aspaglayan.bsky.social for a discussion of her new book, Raised to Obey. She will be in conversation with Neal McCluskey. This event will be livestreamed for those who are unable to attend in person. Learn more:
A key legacy of Peron in Argentina was that it led people to define as "Peronist" or "anti-Peronist." Anti-Peronists despise *everything* Peron did, and Peronists defend *everything* he did. Finding common ground is incredibly tough, and the country has suffered a great deal as a result.
Tomorrow (April 1) at 11 am EDT: @cato.org welcomes @aspaglayan.bsky.social for a discussion of her new book, Raised to Obey. She will be in conversation with Neal McCluskey. This event will be livestreamed for those who are unable to attend in person. Learn more:
Raised to Obey: The Rise and Spread of Mass Education
We tend to think of public education as a ladder of opportunity—a system that ensures that no matter a child’s economic circumstances, they will get the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in…
cato.org
If you're at Harvard on Wednesday 3/26, come hear me present "Raised to Obey: The Rise and Spread of Mass Education" at HGSE from 3-4pm Some people say it'll dramatically shift your perspective about education ;) Email/DM me for details cc @princetonupress.bsky.social @aganimian.bsky.social
If you're at Harvard on Wednesday 3/26, come hear me present "Raised to Obey: The Rise and Spread of Mass Education" at HGSE from 3-4pm Some people say it'll dramatically shift your perspective about education ;) Email/DM me for details
Beyond grateful for a packed and distinguished audience who showed up with curiosity & open-mindedness to learn more about "Raised to Obey" at #CIES2025 Chiqui Ramirez: "This is the best book on mass education I've read" (I'm still processing it!) Next stop: Harvard Graduate School of Education!
If you want to learn why William Easterly says "Raised to Obey" will "forever change thinking about #education," join Francisco Ramirez, Patricia Bromley and I this Monday at #CIES2025! Palmer House, 3rd Floor, Salon 9 3:30-4:10pm cc @princetonupress.bsky.social
If you want to learn why William Easterly says "Raised to Obey" will "forever change thinking about #education," join Francisco Ramirez, Patricia Bromley and I this Monday at #CIES2025! Palmer House, 3rd Floor, Salon 9 3:30-4:10pm cc @princetonupress.bsky.social
Who do I know who will be at #CIES2025?? I'll be there for the first time since 2018 -- really looking forward to discussing my book with a terrific group of scholars!
I had a great conversation about "Raised to Obey" and the past, present & future of #education with Will Brehm for the FreshEd Podcast Listen to "Why did mass education rise and spread?": freshedpodcast.com/paglayan/ Book: press.princeton.edu/books/paperb... @princetonupress.bsky.social
Agustina S. Paglayan • FreshEd
Agustina Paglayan discusses her book, Raised to Obey: The rise and spread of Mass Education (Princeton University Press).
freshedpodcast.com
Pinch me! Today marks 3 months since the release of "Raised to Obey" (@princetonupress.bsky.social) and today, too, the book hit a new record, ranking #6 on Amazon's bestsellers in economic development, #25 in economic history, and #52 in history & politics 🎉🎉🎉
Raised to Obey
How the expansion of primary education in the West emerged not from democratic ideals but from the state’s desire to control its citizens
press.princeton.edu
Great interview with @aspaglayan.bsky.social on her book Raised to Obey www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMqb...
The Real Origins of Public Education
YouTube video by The Atlantic
youtube.com
Public education emerged to promote obedience, not critical thinking But privatization isn't necessarily better. Religious actors, not states, pioneered schools for social control The key point: those w/ power (politicians, billionaires) have incentives to use schools to perpetuate their power
Liberation or indoctrination? @aspaglayan.bsky.social tells @jerusalem.bsky.social about the 200-year-old origins of public education and whom the system was really designed to benefit.