According to recent academic research, the digital sphere has become increasingly important in the shaping and proliferation of reactionary politics. This has opened up new fields of specialisation that move beyond the confines of conventional politics by considering how reactionary politics intersect with emerging technologies and technologically-centred ideological outlooks. From 2016, Brexit, Donald Trump and the emergence of the Alt-Right, to the diffusion of online hate and racism and Elon Musk’s far-right turn, the digital world has become a fertile ground for the expansion and transformation of reactionary politics. The far-right is increasingly taking up forms that mix authoritarian and fascist imaginaries with accelerationist ones. According to recent academic research, the digital sphere has become increasingly important in shaping and propagating reactionary politics—a development that has been augmented by recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI.
In line with these developments, our panel aims to bring together cutting-edge research and researchers who explore contemporary manifestations of reactionary politics in (and in relation to) the digital sphere. Considering the ideological diversity in reactionary politics, the panel welcomes submissions that broadly address the following questions:
What forms do reactionary politics take in the digital sphere? How has AI been employed in shaping reactionary politics? Do we live in a post-fascist era, and if so, what are its characteristics? How does the digital sphere contribute to the mainstreaming and normalisation of reactionary politics? What role do corporations and corporate elites play in influencing reactionary politics?
Moreover, and in a broader context, we welcome submissions that aim to address research questions situated in the following thematic areas:
Digital Authoritarianism
Digital Fascism and Post-Fascism
Reactionary Accelerationism
Far-Right Parties and the Digital Sphere
AI Imaginaries and Narratives
Reactionary Actors and Big Tech
Reactionary Ideas and new Technologies
