Topic
Everyone’s talking about fascism. Over the past few months, there has been a lively debate in the press, academic circles and among activists about how the current situation can be understood. What are the correct terms to describe the present reality, and which theories help us to understand it properly? Why is this present ‘new’ or ‘different’, and which factors are driving these developments and upheavals? How do ‘fascism’ and ‘liberalism’ relate to one another? The debate has touched upon its connection with the democratic crisis, political economy, technological power, ecological destabilisation, the future of emancipatory politics, and the role of social theory.
Our conference Towards a Social Theory of Fascization addresses this question by developing a social-theoretical framework of fascization in which historical, empirical, conceptual and normative perspectives will be brought into productive dialogue. Its guiding aspiration lies in shifting the debate toward conceptually rigorous and socially explanatory analysis.
It therefore combines key historical works with a systematic examination of current developments and brings together scholars from philosophy, social theory, political science, sociology, history, cultural studies, and adjacent disciplines working on fascism, authoritarianism, democratic regression, and contemporary crises.
In the initial part of the conference, renowned experts will offer their insights on seminal texts from the 20th century concerning a social theory of fascism and the scope of such theories at the time (Arendt, Polanyi, Neumann, Césaire, DuBois, Adorno).
The second part of the conference consists of four thematic panels that explore central controversies in current debates on fascization, fascism, and liberalism.
On the evening of December 3, the conference will feature a public event with a panel discussion including authors of recent books on fascism and fascization.
The conference concludes with a closing panel discussion featuring activists on the topic of anti-fascist action.