Cornelia Goethe Colloquia explore the rise of authoritarianism from a gender perspective
The global political landscape is marked by increasing assaults on parliamentary democracy. The rise of right-wing parties, movements, and governments reflects growing support for authoritarianism and the erosion of democratic norms and institutions. Although these trends manifest differently across countries and regions, there are striking similarities that link conservative, religious, and far-right political agendas. One prominent feature shared by these movements is their fixation on gender equality and diversity, which they regard as a fundamental ideological threat.
In the 2025/26 winter semester, the Cornelia Goethe Center for Gender Studies at Goethe University Frankfurt will host a public lecture series examining the interconnected dynamics of democratic erosion and the backlash against gender justice. The series will place current developments in historical and comparative context, asking how attacks on gender equality and diversity relate to processes of democratic regression and authoritarian politics.
Cornelia Goethe Colloquia 2025/26 Winter Semester
“Democracy Under Attack – The Rise of Authoritarianism from Gender Studies Perspectives”
Campus Westend, PEG Building, Room 1.G191 (Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 6)
Wednesdays, 18:15–19:45
Please note: the lecture on January 29, 2026, will take place in Lecture Hall Center (HZ 5).
Program Highlights
- October 30: Annette Henninger – Anti-Feminism and De-Democratization
- November 6: Andrea Pető – Gender Illiberalism in the Anthropocene (in English)
- November 27: Andrea Maihofer – Key Aspects of Fascistization Then and Now: A Rereading of Virginia Woolf’s “Three Guineas”
- December 4: Vanessa E. Thompson – Radical Fascism, Surplus, and Abolition Feminist Resistance (in English)
- December 18: Newal Yalcin & Sarah Speck – Authoritarianism, Conspiracy Theories, Gender: Critical-Theoretical Perspectives
- January 15, 2026: Gabriella Hauch – Being a Woman Is Not a Program!? A Gender-Historical Look at Europe in the 20th Century
- January 29: Eva von Redecker – The Property Frenzy: Neo-Fascism as the Liquidation of Phantom Ownership
- February 12: Renee Heberle – Masculinity and Authoritarianism in the United States (in English)
