Konferenz: Seeds of Regression

Fascism is typically understood as the political opposite of liberalism. Against this backdrop, however, it becomes increasingly difficult to explain why liberal democracies around the world are undergoing a shift toward authoritarianism. This conference engages with the thesis articulated in Dialectic of Enlightenment that, despite its democratic self-understanding, “seeds of regression” are already inscribed in the very structure of political liberalism. Accordingly, the relationship between liberalism and fascism must be conceived in more complex terms. We seek not only to interrogate this relationship through the lens of various societal structures—such as race, capital, gender, technology, and aesthetics—but also to examine its relevance and manifestations in the contemporary political moment. By analyzing both historical continuities and ruptures, the conference aims to foster an interdisciplinary dialogue within the broader field of critical theory and the arts.