Elena Aydarova

Elena Aydarova is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on the intersection of comparative education, policy advocacy, and social justice, often analyzing how educational policies impact equity through anthropological lenses. She examines intermediary organizations' roles in promoting technocratic reforms and educators' efforts to advocate for equitable systems.

Dr. Aydarova holds multiple prestigious fellowships, including the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship and a Fulbright-Hays DDRA Fellowship. Her award-winning book, *Teacher Education Reform as Political Theater: Russian Policy Dramas*, critiques education reforms through a theatrical metaphor, highlighting tensions between policy and practice.

Her recent work critiques the 'Science of Reading' movement, emphasizing its entanglement with corporate interests and privatization agendas that disproportionately affect under-resourced schools. She argues for centering educator autonomy and community needs over standardized, profit-driven reforms.

Awards include recognition from the AAUW, Longview Foundation, and Council of Anthropology and Education. She actively engages with policy debates through NEPC publications and podcasts, advocating for participatory democracy in education decision-making.