Emergencies of Authoritarianism: Global Entanglements

A panel discussion with Debaditya Bhattacharya (Delhi), Gisela Catanzaro (Buenos Aires), Zeynep Gambetti (Istanbul), Eva von Redecker (Berlin), moderated by Daniel Loick (Amsterdam).

Free event. Registration required. Register here.
Location: Spui 25-27, 1012 WX Amsterdam

The event will be livestreamed here.

Authoritarian, right-wing populist, and fascist tendencies are currently gaining strength all over the world. But how do different instantiations of authoritarianism relate to each other? It is clear that methodological nationalism cannot account for the mimetic resurfacing of memes, electoral strategies, and administrative maneuvers in hitherto unconnected parts of the globe. But the well-rehearsed dialectic between the local and the global does not capture the phenomenon either: specific forms of authoritarianism are neither local phenomena that become interconnected only ex post facto, nor are they simply local manifestations of a global phenomenon. Rather, the heterogeneous emergencies of authoritarianism are transversal, interacting with, inspiring, and challenging each other in complex ways, not without maintaining their respective specific national and regional frontlines. The participants of this panel discussion will shed light on the global entanglements of authoritarianism based on their specific local experiences and situated knowledge. What are some of the main characteristics of authoritarianism today? How are its different variations connected with each other? How are they dependent on other global developments? What are useful theoretical concepts to analyze, criticize and effectively respond to authoritarianism?

Debaditya Bhattacharya is professor of English at Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi. Gisela Catanzaro is professor of political science and sociology at the University of Buenos Aires and independent researcher at CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas). Zeynep Gambetti is an independent researcher in political theory, based in Istanbul, and co-chair of the board of the International Consortium of Critical Theory Programs. Eva von Redecker is an independent philosopher and writer based in Brandenburg, Germany. Daniel Loick is associate professor of political and social philosophy at the University of Amsterdam.

The panelists are members of the new research project “Emergencies of Authoritarianism,” an initiative of the International Consortium of Critical Theory Programs funded by the VolkswagenStiftung (Germany). This event is co-organized by the ICCTP, Spui 25, and the Philosophy and Public Affairs Group at the University of Amsterdam.