Contemporary Antifascist Struggles

Antifascist studies is a growing interdisciplinary field bringing together historians, political scientists, sociologists, criminologists, and geographers to examine resistance to both historical fascism and contemporary transnational neo-Nazism. Alongside broader scholarly interest in the global resurgence of the far right, researchers have increasingly developed spatial analyses of antifascism in both historical and contemporary contexts (e.g., Santamarina 2020; Gassner 2023; Ince 2019; Merrill & Copsey 2022). Rather than treating antifascism solely as an empirical research subject, this work often adopts an activist-oriented perspective that responds to the immediate dangers posed by far-right movements and emphasizes the importance of understanding, communicating, and supporting resistance.

However, while violence and militancy have received significant scholarly attention, the wider strategic framework in which they are embedded has been comparatively neglected. This is notable given that non-violent organizing, identity formation, and cultural infrastructure constitute the majority of antifascist practice and activity. Within this panel we want to discuss various forms of antifascist or antifascist-adjacent activities in various contexts. Spaces of antifascism might include football stadiums, sports gyms and martial arts clubs, music clubs, or even handcraft such as knitting. The session particularly welcomes submissions that engage with experiences, perspectives, and case studies from the Global South.