Please join us for "Fascism: An Eternal Recurrence?", an evening panel discussion on modern fascism.
Thursday, February 1, 2024 | 5 - 7 PM
370 Dwinelle Hall, Berkeley, CA
During our discussion, we will focus on the question: What is fascism today?
The term "fascism" has returned to our political vocabulary. The practices of modern authoritarian regimes, such as Putin’s Russia, and right-wing populist movements in the Western world are often referred to as fascist (or neo-fascist). However, in many cases, the use of this term is polemical and poorly correlated with social theory and historical analysis related to the "classical" 20th-century fascism. Conversely, among scholars, the experience of European fascism of the past is often considered a product of unique circumstances, not relevant to our times, or as an ideological phenomenon with a narrow set of characteristics. We believe that the conversation about modern fascism should be conducted based not only on historical analogies but, primarily, on the understanding of the nature of the current global crisis of representative democracy and the neoliberal social model. During our discussion, we will focus on the question: What is fascism today? Is it a concept applicable only to the events of the 20th century, or is it a universal category that remains relevant today? What features of global capitalism and market society is it connected with? How relevant are the definitions found in the literature on 20th-century fascism for modern times? What is the relationship between ideology, mass movements, and the nature of political regimes that defines fascism in our historical present?
Speakers
Dylan Riley, Director of Interdisciplinary Studies Field and Professor of Sociology, University of California, Berkeley
Alexei Yurchak, Professor of Anthropology and affliate faculty member in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, University of California, Berkeley
Blanca Missé, Assistant Professor of French, San Francisco State University
Ilya Matveev, Visiting Scholar in the Program in Critical Theory and political scientist, University of California, Berkeley
Ilya Budraitskis, Visiting Scholar in the Program in Critical Theory, historian, and cultural and political activist, University of California, Berkeley
Moderator: Aglaya Glebova, Associate Professor of European Modern Art and affliate faculty member in the Program in Critical Theory, University of California, Berkeley
Sponsors
Co-presented by the Center for Interdisciplinary Critical Inquiry, the Program in Critical Theory, and the Department of Slavic Languages and Cultures.
Admission Information and Accessibility
370 Dwinelle is wheelchair accessible. Please view this website for more details about accessing Dwinelle Hall. If you require an accommodation for effective communication or mobility access, please contact JD Hoyt at jdhoyt@berkeley.edu.