Unpacking reactionary politics on both sides of the Mediterranean

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
• GGP: Global Governance Programme

The workshop will bring together scholars for a comparative reflection on reactionary political projects on both sides of the Mediterranean

Europe’s attention to the rising illiberal wave and the challenges it poses to the principles of democracy and the rules-based international order has been largely Western-centric. Yet, similar developments have also been unfolding in the Middle East. Right-wing and ultra-conservative actors – including some Islamist movements, religious parties in Israel, and allegedly secular strongmen – have been prominent in the political landscape for quite some time. Ironically, despite their professed anti-Islam narrative, right-wing populist parties in Europe have more in common with both (Islamist) religious movements and ostensibly secular Middle Eastern autocrats than they would like to admit.

Parallels in terms of political narratives and strategies emerge most clearly when one adopts the concepts of reactionism and reactionary politics instead of focusing solely on ‘populism’. Key points of convergence include anti-gender and anti-feminist positions, often intertwined with religious and nativist agendas, references to an allegedly glorious past, an implicit belief in inequality, and exclusion strategies that focus either on anti-(Muslim) immigration or anti-Western narratives. Many also exhibit an ambivalent stance toward neoliberal policies despite their anti-elite discourse.

This workshop aims to unpack reactionary political projects on both sides of the Mediterranean. It brings together a group of scholars working on various aspects of reactionary politics for comparative reflection and discussion.

Please note: If you wish to attend this workshop, please contact the organiser directly.