Although in many “Western” and Central European States ultra-nationalist movements seem to be on the rise, there is limited historical research on their ideological and cultural appeal. Initial explorations suggest that their reliance on conceptions of traditional family, “homelands” and “human biodiversity” are key. To advance scholarly research as well as inform political understandings, we will host an international and interdisciplinary workshop at the University of Muenster, Germany. Focusing on gender norms, women’s roles and concepts of reproductive decision-making espoused by these movements on their websites, in their media ventures, and in their publications, we will explore the objectification of women in these otherwise predominantly male organizations, examine the complexities of women’s agency, and discuss the effects of rising ethnonationalism on gender policies at large. To contribute to understanding the implications of “alt-right,” “ultra-nationalist” and “ethno-nationalist” movements across Europe and the US, we seek to bring together an interdisciplinary group of historians, cultural anthropologists, and social scientists for an international workshop.

Conceived in the framework of the Collaborative Research Center of the German Science Foundation 1150 “Cultures of Decision-Making” and its Project A 05 (“Reproductive Decision-Making in Germany and the US”) at the University of Münster, the workshop will focus on the themes of gender, family, reproduction, and processes of decision-making and narrative construction within these movements. More specifically, we ask:
1) How are narratives of conversion to alt-right, ethnonational and identitarian movements framed in terms of conscious decision-making or, to the contrary, as inevitable developments of exposure to the “truth” of the destructiveness of feminism, liberalism, and globalism (i.e., being “red-pilled”)?
2) Which ideas of gender, the family (“#tradfam”) and morality (ban on non-reproductive sex) are communicated and which roles do women play in these movements? Given that the online dimensions of these movements are very misogynistic, how does that effect women’s participation and visibility?
3) How do alt-right and ultra-nationalist movements appropriate concepts of time to claim the present (“books against time”, “the future is the past”) and to what extent are they doing something new or merely reinvigorating older notions of racism and essentialism? How do conceptions of gender fit into ultra-nationalist idealization of the future?
4) What are the intellectual roots (if any) of ultra-nationalists and who are primary thinkers and schools of thought? Are there major transnational intellectual appropriations of theories and “pre-thinkers” tangible in new right discourses and concepts? (i.e. this might include the French New Right, German race science, and even leftist intellectual traditions). How are such ideas expressed differently in distinct national and cultural contexts, particularly with regard to immigration and race? What are gendered dimensions of this intellectual lineage?
By combining our experience in investigating “cultures of decision-making” with the insights of our international and interdisciplinary collaborative partners, we hope to shed new light on one of the most disturbing international phenomena of the present day. Specifically, we hope to clarify how the re-branding of nationalism might be changing gender politics all over Europe and the US. Also, we strive to find out whether alt-right nationalism helps to put forward discursive and factual strains that might challenge and ultimately change the arrangements of reproductive decision-making (knowledge, family planning and contraception, legal abortion, women’s agency) still prevalent in most liberal modern societies.

Due to the international scope of the workshop, we strongly encourage presentations that focus on Scandinavia and Southern Europe as well as those dealing with countries commonly included in the “global south”. Also, we invite presentations from different academic disciplines such as contemporary history, sociology, gender theory, cultural anthropology, cultural studies.

Travel costs and accommodation will be covered by the University of Münster.

To publish our results and to spark scholarly discussions on the topic, we are currently applying to edit a special issue of the prestigious “Journal of Contemporary History” based on the outcome of the conference.

Please send a short abstract of your intended presentation (1 page, 300 words max) and a short biographical sketch to conference.ethnostate@uni-muenster.de
until January 31, 2019. Successful applicants will be informed by Febuary 15, 2019.