Right Extreme? On National Identity and Right-Wing Populist Currents in Europe

In response to the racist murder of Halit Yozgat, which was committed by the right-wing extremist NSU in 2006 not far from the Holländischer Platz campus, the lecture series against right-wing extremism has been held annually at the University of Kassel since 2012 with changing topics. This year, the lecturers will take a comparative perspective at the European level and address the strengthening of right-wing parties in various countries of the European Union. "These parties of the so-called new right-wing populism represent in different ways a culturalization, ethnicization and biologization of national identity, with which they reinforce and spread differentiations of racism, anti-Semitism and other forms of group-based hostility towards people. In this way, they pose a challenge to open societies and democracy that critical scholarship must address as well as pedagogical practice," explains Stephanie Simon of the Institute of Social Work.   

The lecture series aims to contribute to the reflection of this challenge. The concept of the lecture series is to invite representatives from various disciplines (including sociology, political science, history, education, gender studies, philosophy) who will present the current state of their respective research and offer insights into recent social developments.

The lecture is financially supported by the departments 01, 02 and 05 as well as the President's Office. It will take place every Monday from 6-8 p.m. starting October 29 at the Campus Center, Moritzstr. 18, Lecture Hall 6 (Room 2113). Admission is free.

For students, the lecture already starts on October 22 with a welcome session, where organizational questions will also be clarified.

Contact

Sebastian Mense
University of Kassel
Communication, Press and Public Relations
Tel.: +49 561 804-1961
E-Mail: presse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de