Details
Brown Bag Event
Time: 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Location: Zoom
Presenter: Philippe Duhart
Zoom link: https://cpp.zoom.us/j/84335099037
Abstract: Drawing from various strands of research ranging from classical Marxist theory to the newly emerging "postfascism studies" field. I argue that states in the Americas and Europe through the instruments of liberal democracy and political pluralism have effectively or are currently transforming into postfascist liberal states. This emerging postfascist liberal state is grounded in the distinction between the (increasingly multiracial)autonomous citizen in civil society, the realm of individual liberty and personal responsibility; and the racializednoncitizen, those who cannot or will not exercise their autonomy responsibly and thus pose a threat to neoliberal civil society and against whom postfascist state violence is wielded. These categories of noncitizen (which include many “citizens” of these postfascist societies) exist in a realm parallel to and overlapping with civil society but outside of it in a heavily policed “state of nature” or “zone of savagery.” Thus the postfascist liberal state is a dual state, liberal for the individual citizens, and violently fascist against noncitizens and enemies.