30.05.2023 International Conference "Anti-Feminism and anti-gender politics in authoritarian regimes"

The Role of the State, Religion, and Feminist Counter-Strategies in the Near and Middle East and Eastern Europe

21-23 June 2023

Herder-Institute für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung

Gisonenweg 5-7, Marburg

Synopsis

The political ascent of authoritarian populist regimes has triggered fears over the erosion of existing and evolving democratic processes in various parts of the world. A particular concern are the anti-feminist and anti-gender policies advocated by authoritarian populist movements as they pose a direct threat to the individual rights of women and LGBTI*Q persons.

The purpose of this conference is to compare the anti-feminist politics of authoritarian regimes in the Near and Middle East and Eastern Europe. To that end, it brings together two strands of research - the study of anti-feminism and anti-gender politics and the study of authoritarian populism - and focus on two regions that have previously been under-researched from a comparative perspective. This conference builds on an interdisciplinary, comparative and historicising approach. It gathers experienced researchers from both regions and aims to generate new knowledge about the mechanisms of authoritarianism and anti-feminism currently at work in both regional contexts. The conference places particular emphasis on the role of the state and organised religion within these processes. Another thematic priority addressed in this conference is the counter-hegemonic strategies of feminist women’s rights movements.

This conference represents a cooperation between the Centre for Gender Studies and Feminist Futurology (ZGS) and the Centre for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS) at Philipps- Universität Marburg with the Herder Institute for Historical Research on East Central Europe.

See also the flyer and program