Dr. Enrique-Javier Díez-Gutiérrez Universidad de León (España)
Dr. Marcos-Alfonso Payá-Gómez Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño (España)
Dr. Andrés Villena-Oliver Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid (España)
Julián Macías-Tovar Pandemia Digital, Madrid (España)
Dr. Manuel Fernández Navas Universidad de Málaga, Málaga (España)
Keywords
Neo-fascism, Educational Policy, Far Right, Social Network Analysis (SNA), Networks of Influence.
Abstract
This study analyses the configuration of the political–pedagogical ecosystem linked to neo-fascism in Spain within a context of increasing political polarization and cultural dispute in the educational sphere. While previous research has examined the electoral and institutional rise of the far right, limited attention has been paid to its relational infrastructure in education. The aim is to identify the main actors that compose this ecosystem and to characterize the postulates they promote. The methodology here applied combines Social Network Analysis (SNA) and digital ethnography. The study focuses on the opposition campaign against the current educational law since 2021, LOMLOE, articulated around the hashtag #StopLeyCelaá on the social media platform X. The analysis draws on approximately 150,000 posts, which served as the empirical basis for constructing and refining the relational network, which was later analysed using software Gephi and UCINET. The findings show that the educational map of the far right in Spain constitutes a complex relational network including political parties, foundations, associations, religious groups, media outlets, and mobilization platforms. This ecosystem, which counts on both individuals and platforms that connect and organise the whole educational conservative community, facilitates the diffusion and legitimation of frames oriented toward market-based approaches to education governance, parental primacy, opposition to equality-related content, and national-patriotic curricular configurations grounded in meritocratic and hierarchical principles.
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Fundref
Este trabajo ha sido realizado en el marco de dos proyectos de investigación competitivos financiados por la Unión Europea: 620320-EPP-1-2020-1-ES-EPPJMO-MODULE, ‘Building up an Inclusive and Democratic Europe through a Dialogical Co-Creation of Intercultural Solutions to the Rise of Neo Fascism and Xenofobia’ (2020-2023), y 101175858-GOODEUROPE-ERASMUS-JMO-2024-HEI-TCH GOODEUROPE, ‘Educational and Social Policies for a Europe of the Common Good’ (2023-2026).
Technical information
Received: 2026-02-10 | Reviewed: 2026-03-16 | Accepted: 2026-07-01 | Online First: 2026-10-01 | Published: 2026-10-05
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Dr. Enrique-Javier Díez-Gutiérrez., Dr. Marcos-Alfonso Payá-Gómez., Dr. Andrés Villena-Oliver., Julián Macías-Tovar., Dr. Manuel Fernández Navas. (2026). Neofascist Ecosystem in Education: The Far Right’s “Educational Map” in Spain. Comunicar, 34(87). 10.5281/zenodo.23183747