I am troubled to hear of a recent stabbing incident at the University of Waterloo in Canada targeting a philosophy class on gender. A professor and two students were injured seriously but not fatally. Academics are invited to sign this petition in response to the incident: Open Statement of Solidarity with Professor and Students Targeted in Violent Attack at the University of Waterloo, Women’s and Gender Studies Recherches Féministes (WGSRF) (google.com).
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In June I submitted edits on my single-author manuscript on fascism—which I’m hoping Routledge Press is going to allow me to retitle as From Void to Hope: Understanding and Countering Fascist Movements. With luck there will only be one more round of edits.
Almost immediately after hitting “send” to Routledge, I traveled to Washington, D.C. and then to Berlin, Germany, first presenting at PERIL (Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab) at American University and then at the International Erich Fromm Society conference at the International Psychoanalytic University.
My presentation at PERIL was well-received by the students participating from around the country in the PERIL Summer Institute, including people involved in academia, non-profits, journalism, law, counseling, and other fields, exploring prevention of hate activity and of far-right recruitment. Together with Dr. Rae Jereza, who invited me, I presented on ethics in the field. I focused particularly on the impact of stories, including needing to think about the harm that “counter-narratives” can do, including the harm of former white supremacists’ stories of being “saved” by compassionate outreach from members of marginalized groups.
I flew from Washington D.C. to Berlin for the Fromm conference. I spoke on why Erich Fromm’s theory of psychological needs was important for defeating fascism, addressing some of the common concerns people have about psychological exploration of fascists and showing how such an investigation, if done well, also contributes to a critique of capitalism and contributes to movements for social change.
Since flying back, I’ve got a few projects I’m working on, though I’m also taking it easy and finishing teaching a summer Logic course. I also have agreed to co-edit a volume on understanding and countering Christian nationalism from theological perspectives, with Dr. David Gides at Providence University. I have received word that the volume on The Ethics of Researching the Far Right that I coedited will be coming out in March from University of Manchester Press. I also felt I needed a new project that is not about fascism, so I’ve been returning to an earlier project, looking at the friendship between Erich Fromm and African American choreographer, dancer, anthropologist, and activist Katherine Dunham.
Dr. Joan Braune -- News & Updates 