New Book Review on Heidegger’s Antisemitism

I am pleased to share my recent review of Richard Wolin’s Heidegger in Ruins: Between Philosophy and Ideology for Marx & Philosophy Review of Books.

By now, philosopher Martin Heidegger’s antisemitism and Nazism, and the fact that he personally drew connections between these and core concepts of his philosophical oeuvre, is widely known and acknowledged by the philosophical academic community. For quite a long time, though, it was relatively taboo to discuss in many academic philosophy departments. This was especially the case if one suggested that Heidegger’s “philosophy” might have been damaged by his “politics” and that the two could not be easily separated. At a time of rising fascist movements and the influence of Heidegger on several fascist figures and organizations today, it is more imperative than ever to not sweep this under the rug.

Richard Wolin was ahead of his time in exploring Heidegger’s antisemitism and Nazism and the possible impact of these on his philosophy, before it was widely understood that Heidegger had consciously connected the two. I believe Wolin paid a price for sticking his neck out on this question and have wanted to stick up for him on it for a while. When I was a graduate student I invited Wolin to be a keynote speaker of our graduate student conference and later to be an external member of my dissertation committee in the early 2010s. It is gratifying to see the increasing engagement with this important topic by the academic community, although more work remains to be done.

The review is available here: https://marxandphilosophy.org.uk/reviews/21148_heidegger-in-ruins-between-philosophy-and-ideology-by-richard-wolin-reviewed-by-joan-braune/.

Call for Abstracts: Christian Nationalism

Call for Abstracts

On Christian Nationalism: Critical and Theological Perspectives, Eds. David M. Gides and Joan Braune

Christian nationalism has attracted growing concern among scholars and activists over the last 5-10 years in the United States. In fact, many scholars and online contributors have declared Christian nationalism as “the biggest threat to democracy.” Yet the concept often remains unclearly defined.

The phenomenon has been approached from both the social sciences and from theological perspectives. From the social sciences perspective, some scholars have used sociological data to explore various aspects of Christian nationalism, trying to establish what it is using surveys or locating what sociological markers are most likely to be present in those who are considered Christian nationalists (based on a combination of other sociological markers). Sociological factors that have been connected to Christian nationalist adherence in studies include perceptions of the threat of COVID, race and immigration considerations, denominational adherence, level of education, and others. However, more research on Christian nationalism today in relation to far-right political movements in historical and contemporary context is needed. Some theologians have advanced useful critiques of Christian nationalism, but more work remains to be done, since other theologians defending or sympathetic to Christian nationalism continue to attempt to define Christianity as inherently connected to racism, notions of masculinity, the quest for power, and certain conceptions of church-state relations (as examples).

What sociological and theological analyses of Christian nationalism suggest, among other things, is that a primary problem is the extent to which ideas or concepts not traditionally or prudently associated with Christianity are employed or connected to Christianity. Christian history and traditions show both liberatory and oppressive potentials. While not all contributions to this volume will be by theologians or written from Christian perspectives, this project in part seeks to find a way forward that is critical of Christian nationalism while exploring potential to resist it, including from within Christian theology and practices. We also see a need for greater conceptual clarity and contextualization of trends.

The purpose of this edited collection, then, will be to approach the phenomenon of Christian nationalism with a critical stance towards how it has been defined in some existing scholarship and move past oversimplifications found in popular discourse or in the popular imagination. Implicit here is the idea that defining Christian nationalism as accurately and cogently as possible is crucial for a variety of reasons – the most important one, arguably, is that a clear and nuanced definition is necessary in order to not only understand the phenomenon, but also to offer any ameliorative or otherwise effective theological or other responses.      

We welcome abstracts that engage with one or two of the following questions:

  1. Definitions: How do we define Christian nationalism? Is there a way to define Christian nationalism that avoids conflating it with factors that are arguably tangential to any more refined definition?
  2. History and Current Trends: What are the origins of today’s Christian nationalist movements, and what is the current “lay of the land” of Christian nationalist movements, including their strategy and tactics? How does Christian nationalism operate in power (including global phenomena), and how does it operate as a social movement seeking power?
  3. Racism and settler colonialism: What does “white” add to “Christian nationalism,” in the phrase “white Christian nationalism”? Not all Christian nationalists are white or consciously focused on race, and many white nationalists are not Christians, yet Christian nationalism often partakes in white supremacist ideas and practices. How and where do Christian nationalist and white nationalist movements overlap? How does Christian nationalism partake in white supremacist ideas when it is not explicitly white nationalist or white supremacist? What is the relationship of Christian nationalism to settler colonialism? Anti-immigrant sentiments? Racist approaches to policing, crime, and military intervention?
  4. Antisemitism and Islamophobia: How does Christian nationalism deploy antisemitism and/or Islamophobia? How can this be effectively challenged? What could be learned from Jewish and Muslim faiths to challenge Christian nationalism?
  5. Christian nationalism and Gender: How does Christian nationalism conceive gender, and how does it mobilize misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia? How can these be challenged? What role do women and gender or sexual minorities play in Christian nationalist movements?
  6. Threat Assessment: How dangerous is Christian nationalism? What is the nature of the danger?
  7. Denominational Specificity: What is the relationship of Christian nationalism to particular Christian denominations? What differences in history, politics, and theology are there between Protestant, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox variations of Christian nationalism? What denominations are white nationalists and fascists converting to or promoting? How are far-right appeals to “tradition” connected to Christian nationalists in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox spaces?
  8. International Perspectives: Is what we are experiencing as Christian nationalism in the US something that we see in other nations? Is it perceived similarly in these places? What can we learn for example from resistance to Christian nationalism globally, such as against Bolsonaro in Brazil?
  9. Theological critiques of Christian nationalism: How have those who call themselves Christian nationalists used or misused factors tenuously related to Christianity in forging their positions or political movements?  What are some ways theologians can respond and address the theological errors present in some forms of Christian nationalism? How does or should Christianity conceive such core themes as place, social belonging, the state, power, violence, rationality, democracy, and the potential of human beings to make change, and how do Christian nationalist projects conceive these differently?
  10. Faith Community Responses: Are there any practical ways churches and other faith communities, religiously affiliated schools and universities, and interfaith groups can address Christian nationalism?

The edited book is co-edited by David M. Gides (University of Providence) and Joan Braune (Gonzaga University). Potential contributors should submit an abstract of 250 words to David M. Gides at david.gides@uprovidence.edu or Joan Braune at braune@gonzaga.edu, alongside their name, a short (50 word) biography, and an indication of which of the above questions their abstract addresses (it might address more than one). The deadline for abstract submissions is 15 September 2023.

Contributors will be notified of the editors’ decision within a month of submission. Successful abstracts will inform the book proposal.

Conferences and Latest Projects

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.

International Conference of Hate Studies, April 20-22

The International Conference of Hate Studies is coming up April 20-22. There is still time to register to attend online or in person: International Conference on Hate Studies | Gonzaga University. As keynote speaker committee chair, I recruited most of the featured speakers: Featured Speakers | Gonzaga University.

I’m so excited about so many aspects of this conference. Rae Jereza’s panel on rethinking self-care for researchers in the field and how simplistic the prescriptions are for members of impacted groups (who are told to drink more water and go to therapy rather than receiving real solidarity and support) is one I’m particularly looking for forward to. Ben Lorber and Shane Burley are presenting a leftist take on activism against antisemitism in a workshop based on their forthcoming book. Local activist friends with Muslims for Community Action and Support (MCAS) and Bridges Not Walls are presenting on crucial local coalition-building and collaboration to support Afghan refugees in Spokane. There’s just so much happening!

 I’m chairing a Friday, April 21 morning panel at the conference on protecting civil liberties and centering impacted communities in work against hate, with speakers Arun Kundnani, Nicole Nguyen, Nimmi Gowrinathan, and Arjun Sethi. We’re going to dive right into necessary and sticky topics, like the harms of relying on the security state to combat hate. I’m also on two Friday afternoon panels looking at ethical issues related to use of former white nationalists (“formers”) in work against hate.

Report-backs: Antifascism; Theological Perspectives

Here’s some media coverage of the February panel on antifascism. It was a delight to share a platform with Shane Burley and Shon Meckfessel, discussing our contributions to the new book No Pasaran: Antifascist Dispatches from a World in Crisis, edited by Shane Burley:

I also enjoyed being interviewed recently by Joseph Peterson, who attended the event on antifascism and reached out after the event. Joseph is a pastor currently “deconstructing” his Evangelical background, who was fired from a job as pastor a couple of years ago due to his opposition to homophobia and racism. He wanted to know my take on “Christo-fascism”: The Ruins: 51. Opposing Christo-Fascism In Christianity | with Dr. Joan Braune on Apple Podcasts. If you’re interested in theology, you might check out some of the other episodes on his podcast. He’s learning a lot from liberation theology and queer and feminist/womanist theologies, and there are some really compelling and moving interviews.

Video of last month’s book launch for Uncivil Disobedience: Theological Perspectives, edited by David M. Gides, is available online here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SeMJ_AI3rc.

Two Upcoming Talks

  • Online Book Launch for Uncivil Disobedience: Theological Perspectives, Edited by David Gides — Thursday, February 23, at 4:30pm Pacific Time (7:30pm Eastern), on zoom at: https://gonzaga.zoom.us/j/93300912066. I will be joining the panel of six or seven contributors, discussing our contributions to the new volume, which explores the ethics of “uncivil disobedience,” forms of disobedient protest that seem to stand outside what is normally classified as “civil disobedience.” Some speakers will be addressing liberation theology or Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s ethics and applications to contemporary protest movements such as Black Lives Matter. My contribution looks at the limitations of Eric Hoffer’s “true believer” paradigm and why Erich Fromm provides a better foundation for understanding and countering fascism. Andre Gagne, who studies far-right Christian dominionist movements and contributed a chapter on the January 6 coup attempt, is also on the panel.
  • In Spokane: Discussion of No Pasaran: Antifascist Dispatches from a World in Crisis, Edited by Shane Burley —  Sunday, February 26, 2:00pm, Spokane Public Library (nx?yx?yetk? Hall). Shane Burley, Shon Meckfessel, and I will be talking about our contributions to the broad-ranging and sparkly new antifascist anthology. “Braune will discuss her chapter, “A Partial Typology of Empathy for Enemies: Collaborationist to Strategic.” The chapter looks at how journalists, academics, activists, and practitioners in work against hate need to be careful to establish boundaries that keep themselves and their communities safe. Braune will share some troubling case studies of harm that was done when people befriended dangerous members of hate groups and failed to have proper boundaries. She will discuss the contribution of and limits of love and empathy in work against fascism.” More here: No Pasaran: Antifascist Dispatches from a World in Crisis – Spokane Public Library (spokanelibrary.org).

Updates: Patriot Front Arrests, Conference Deadline Extended

Some quick updates:

At the end of October and beginning of November, fascist/white supremacist group Patriot Front did graffiti on Gonzaga University’s campus. There were two incidents, both involving spray-painting a Patriot Front slogan, the anti-indigenous slogan “Not Stolen—Conquered.” Two of three people were caught and arrested the second time this occurred: 2 arrested after white supremacist ‘Patriot Front’ graffiti found on Gonzaga on Saturday night | The Spokesman-Review. I was interviewed for and quoted in two articles covering the incidents for the campus newspaper, the Gonzaga Bulletin:

I stressed that it is not enough to shun Patriot Front’s values as foreign to Gonzaga’s mission; we need to actively work to make our campus a place where these ideologies are actively contested. There have been talks and vigils held on campus, and I know there is more in the works. This happened at a time when Patriot Front is on a losing streak, including dealing with charges following their mass arrest when they attempted to disrupt a Pride event in North Idaho, as well as facing a new lawsuit for one of their many campaigns of vandalism and intimidation.

Secondly, I am continuing to help with organizing for the April 20-22 International Conference of Hate Studies, sponsored by the Gonzaga Center for the Study of Hate. I’m excited about the great keynote speaker lineup, including Zoé Samudzi, Rae Jereza, Arun Kundnani, Nicole Nguyen, Arjun Sethi, Nimmi Gowrinathan, and David Neiwert. And…good news, if you want to submit a proposal to present at the conference, the deadline has been extended to January 4. More info here: International Conference on Hate Studies | Gonzaga University. If you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance, please reach out.

Lastly, consider donating if you can, to support survivors of the mass shooting that targeted LGBTQ+ people at Club Q in Colorado Springs: Fundraiser by Faith Haug – Good Judy Garage : 100 percent going to the Club Q Victims (gofundme.com).

International Conference of Hate Studies, April 20-23, 2023

Submissions are now open for the 7th International Conference of Hate Studies, sponsored by the Gonzaga Center for the Study of Hate, to be held April 20-23, 2023 at Spokane Community College.

Submissions are now being welcomed here, through November 15: https://www.gonzaga.edu/academics/centers-institutes/institute-for-hate-studies/international-conference-on-hate-studies.

Keynote plenary speakers this year include, with more to come: Arun Kundnani, Zoe Samudzi, David Neiwert, Rae Jereza, Nicole Nguyen, and Nimmi Gowrinathan. I’m very excited about these speakers, including panels addressing challenging whiteness in Hate Studies and looking at how to challenge hate while preserving civil liberties and centering those targeted/harmed by hate groups.

The conference will be mostly in-person, but it will be possible to register to watch it online. There is also some availability for online presentations, so if you have not yet submitted a proposal and cannot come in person, I would encourage you to submit a proposal on the website and note on the form that you would need an online presentation option.