Lobbying and Education : A Scoping Literature Review on Lobbying in Education

The Education Inc. research project uncovered the use of lobbying by private entities in the Swedish school system, which was unexpected and raised concerns. While lobbying in the EU is well-researched and regulated, the study of lobbying in education in Sweden and other countries remains uncertain. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of lobbying in education on an international level, including how it is defined and utilized. This knowledge will inform a forthcoming larger qualitative study. This study includes a literature review using scoping review as a method and a content analysis of 52 articles related to lobbying within education. The main findings show that research in this field is primarily focused on the Global North, and there is a significant lack of research from other regions. Additionally, there is no prominent figure or strong research group within the field. The selected articles primarily address the efforts of interest groups to empower vulnerable groups, with topics such as social justice, civil rights, activism, minority groups, literacy, and reading skills frequently explored. The most significant result of this study is however the lack of systematic and fundamental research on lobbying in education. This is concerning because private actors have a significant influence on education through lobbying, informing policy directions and decisions, despite the potential impact on fragile democratic procedures and core institutions in society.