Join this event for an engaging discussion on the gendered dynamics of nationalism and the contested spaces where feminist and nationalist projects collide—and sometimes converge.
Across the globe, the rise of autocratic regimes has led to democratic backsliding, often accompanied by gendered backlashes. In this context, social and gender equality policies are increasingly under threat—defunded, dismantled, or replaced by femonationalist rhetoric. Yet the relationship between nationalism and feminism is far from one-dimensional. While many nationalist movements promote traditionalist gender roles, others—particularly minority nationalists—can embrace feminist agendas.
This hybrid seminar brings together two thought-provoking presentations that explore the complex and often contradictory relationship between feminism and nationalism in contemporary contexts. Malgorzata Zachara-Szymanska (Robert Schuman Centre) will present 'Man Up, America! Gendered Perceptions of the U.S. Role in the Trump Era,' investigating how the Trump administration reshaped perceptions of U.S. global leadership through a distinctly gendered lens. Johannes Heß (Freie Universität Berlin) will then present 'As Women, As a Country: Gendered Participation in Nationalist Movements,' based on research on the Catalan independence movement, exploring how feminist actors engage in nationalist movements and under what conditions feminism and nationalism can be reconciled.
About the speakers:
Malgorzata Zachara-Szymanska is a Jean Monnet Fellow at the European University Institute and Professor of International Relations at Jagiellonian University, Krakow. Her work explores leadership and global change, with recent publications including 'Global Political Leadership: In Search of Synergy' (Routledge, 2023).
Johannes Heß is a Political Scientist whose doctoral research focused on feminist nationalism in the Catalan independence movement. He has taught on gendered nationalism and transgender approaches to border studies. His interdisciplinary, mixed-methods research explores how national identity and feminist activism intersect within inclusive nationalist frameworks.