EN
The paper explores the status of utopian thought in educational theory. It starts with the thesis that we witness a deep crisis in contemporary educational theory affecting the utopian impulse. This crisis seems to mirror the weakness of utopian thought in the humanities in general. Education divested of the critical impulse of utopianism seems to result from the instrumental turn of Enlightenment Reason as well as postmodernist change. The authoress argues that a revival of the critical tradition of utopianism in educational theory will enliven its emancipative potential. Last but not least, it will inspire to see education as a more hopeful and future-oriented process.