Locating race in right-wing populist Hungary: Discourses on Roma education policy Nicole VT Lugosi, University of Alberta, Canada nicole.lugosi@ualberta.ca This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Lugosi, Nicole VT. "Race and Populist Radical Right Discourses: Implications for Roma Education Policy in Hungary." Alberta Journal of Educational Research 61.4 (2015): 484-502. Abstract: There is consensus that the best route to eradicating the widespread discrimination and poverty among the Roma in Hungary is to improve the quality of and access to education. A cursory glance of the Hungarian Government website suggests that policy makers are on top of the problem with good laws and initiatives in place yet indicators from non-government groups and academics suggest the situation remains bleak for the Roma and practices such as the segregation of Roma school children persist. Progressive change in Hungary first requires a serious confrontation of the widespread and deeply ingrained racism against the Roma. This paper makes no attempt at such an ambition but using a discourse analysis method informed by Critical Race Theory, the paper does aim to begin acknowledging the role race plays in right-wing populist discourses about education policies in Hungary. The paper advances two arguments: First, there is a mismatch between official policy and actual progress. Second, an examination of how right wing populist discourses about the Roma are racialized provides insight to why. Keywords: Roma, Right-wing populism, Hungary, Education policy, Discourses Introduction In recent years, there has been increasing scholarly attention to how and why the post- communist countries of Central Eastern Europe (CEE) that joined the European Union (EU) in 2004 have been ‘backsliding'. Hungary, the focus of this paper, presents a particularly striking case of democratic backsliding. From earlier literature, this came as a surprise given that during the first few years of EU membership, Hungary was upheld as the model of successful democratic transition among the new members. Since 2010, with the election of Viktor Orbán's right-wing Fidesz government and the increasing popularity of the radical right-wing Jobbik party, many instances of illiberal practices such as inter alia restrictive media laws, the erosion of minority rights, discriminatory laws against marginalized populations, and a re-drafting of the constitution that compromises safeguards of liberal constitutionalism have been observed and raised alarm bells within the European Commission. While there are many facets of democratic backsliding and right-wing politics, this analysis is narrowed to the condition of minorities, more specifically the Roma. The health of minority rights and protection is a good indicator of the democratic progress of