Call for Papers of the Research Network 31 “Ethnic Relations, Racism and Antisemitism” for the 16th ESA Conference in Porto, Portugal 2024

The ESA Research Network 31 “Ethnic Relations, Racism and Antisemitism” invites the submission of papers for the 16th ESA Conference in Porto, Portugal 2024. We will hold sessions focusing on theoretical, methodological and empirical aspects of research on antisemitism and racism in both singular and comparative frameworks. The network’s perspective is to bridge the often exclusive divide between the understanding of antisemitism and racism, exploring the correspondences and affinities, but also the differences and contrasts. Our overarching question is to understand the factors and conditions – material, social, political and historical – that shape variations in antisemitism and racism over time and in different European and global contexts. In particular, we will focus on the role of antisemitism and racism in contemporary threats to democracy and democratic values in Europe and beyond. Far from subsiding, trends that were present at the time of the last ESA conference, have now come into greater relief. It is in this new context that we seek to explore how tensions that both generate and are generated by and through antisemitism and racism affect societal trust and inhibit or promote transformative change. In line with the overarching ESA conference theme of “Tension, Trust and Transformation”, we are particularly interested in exploring how antisemitism and racism interact with the dynamics of tension, trust and transformative practices and social movements. Specific questions might include

• How do nationalism, racism and antisemitism relate to the construction of gender, heteronormativity, homo- and transphobia and family values?
• What are the gender politics of these formations?
• How do these dynamics contribute to social tensions and undermine trust within communities and societies?
• How are these phenomena reflected in transformative movements – progressive, populist and authoritarian?

We are also interested in papers that explore antisemitism and ostensibly liberal and critical forms of racism, nationalism and intolerance. For example, how is Israel-related antisemitism enforced in the context of an international rise in populism and authoritarian politics? As always, we welcome papers that highlight neglected forms of racism and racialisation (including anti-Roma discrimination or ‘anti-Gypsyism’) and papers that explore the intersection of different racisms or racisms with other axes of difference and power. We particularly welcome papers that offer a comparative framework (e.g. cross-national or from the perspective of different European regions), papers that offer a multi- or inter-disciplinary framework (e.g. drawing on history), and papers that offer theoretical and methodological innovations in exploring our questions.

Coordinators:
Kim Robin Stoller (kim.stoller@iibsa.org)
David Seymour (david.seymour.1@city.ac.uk)