Save the Date: Why Democracy Without Anti-Racist Critique Is Not Democracy. Social Analysis, Political Theory, Political Education

Save the Date: Why Democracy Without Anti-Racist Critique Is Not Democracy. Social Analysis, Political Theory, Political Education

Conference at Bielefeld University 24–25 September 2027
Friday, 24 September 2027, 2:00–7:00 p.m.
Saturday, 25 September 2027, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Democracy is “the only form of politically constituted social order that must be learned” (Oskar Negt 2019). In view of the declining trust in democratic institutions and the increase in racist, antisemitic, and openly far-right positions and perspectives, as well as the normalization of anti-democratic positions, the question of how democracy can be learned again and again is currently of particular urgency. Anti-racist critique plays an important role in answering this question. The nation-state-based democracy that has been realized is characterized by democratic deficits, whose suppression and preservation also mobilize and reinforce racist schemas—either in the figure of others’ alleged political backwardness or their lack of political legitimacy. The democratic project is not free of contradictions, as equality is claimed but not fulfilled. Anti-racist perspectives on the nation-state-based and capitalist realization of democracy point to fundamental democratic deficits that must be overcome in the sense of a “democracy to come” (Derrida). Anti-racist research is not concerned with a “special topic,” but instead questions the democratic project itself—in an effort to expand it: A democracy without anti-racist critique is not democracy. The conference “Why Democracy Without Anti-Racist Critique Is Not Democracy” addresses, from an anti-racist perspective, in particular:

• attacks on and threats to the democratic project,
• contradictions and structures of concealment within the democratic project,
• possibilities for safeguarding and further developing the democratic project.

The conference will focus on current research findings as well as fundamental theoretical questions in the fields of social analysis, political theory, and political education, which will be presented and discussed together. The conference will be held as the joint closing conference of the Knowledge Network on Racism Research (WinRa) and the junior research groups “Conditions for Successful Teacher Education Sensitive to Racism. A Racism-Theoretical Study of Studies, Teacher Traineeship, and Entry into the Profession” (GraL) and “Continuities and New Configurations of Institutional Racism in Schools” (KoNIR), and is organized by Magnus Frank, Daniel Krenz-Dewe, Paul Mecheril, Katharina Schitow, Saphira Shure, and Anja Steinbach.

Further information on the program and registration will follow.

Contact: daniel.krenz-dewe@uni-bielefeld.de