The far right’s engagement with religion is complex and, despite its widely recognized centrality, has long remained underexplored. In light of current world political dynamics, this conference aims to illuminate how religion and the far right intertwine globally by examining their mutual entanglements, forms of appropriation, and claims to religious authenticity.
The conference will focus on religious fields that are understood as being subject to constant renegotiation and contestation. For example, Christianity is often presented in transdenominational ways by far-right actors and constitutes an essential component of far-right identity formation and historical narratives that challenge social plurality and democratic orders. This cannot be reduced to mere strategic appropriation; many in the far-right movement identify as devout Christians and see themselves as the “true” Christians, in contrast to a perceived corrupt mainstream.
These debates are inseparable from positions toward Islam and Judaism, especially regarding notions of the “Judeo-Christian West,” the “Great Replacement,” and calls for “remigration.” Yet far-right engagements with Islam and Judaism are marked by ambivalence, including orientalist-romanticized appreciations and selective valorizations. The project therefore also considers conversions, collaborations, and the active participation of Islamic and Jewish perspectives in these contexts.
A fuller understanding of these dynamics requires engagement with alternative religiosity and esotericism, which are central to both European “new right” ideologies and contexts such as the U.S. “Alt-Right” and Russian “Eurasianism.” This includes receptions of Julius Evola’s ideas (1898–1972), foundational for thinkers like Alain de Benoist and Aleksandr Dugin, as well as neopagan, and motifs inspired by Hinduism and East Asian traditions.
The conference panels will be organized thematically and will examine transnational networks, (supra-)nationalism, gender and sexuality, concepts of historical, anti-modernism, and political strategies. Roundtable discussions will consolidate the discussions and help establish focus, producing tangible insights into developments of increasingly urgent importance.
