As the world has witnessed the rise of illiberal democratic tendencies, many authoritarian regimes have curtailed civil liberties, reversed the hard-gained legal rights, and openly attacked through populist discourse domestic and international policies that protect women’s rights. This process, commonly referred to as “democratic backsliding” or “de-democratization,” is pronounced in some democratic and hybrid regimes alike. We know little about how this process has been affecting women because “democratic backsliding” from a gender perspective has been understudied. Nontheless, activists across a broad spectrum of communities respond to these challenges in their respective countries and through international collaboration.
The aim of this panel is to assess the intersection of the struggle for women’s rights and resistance to autocratization in democratic societies focusing on the question how language is used by both, modern autocrats to justify limitations to these rights and by those who resist them. Papers that examine both theoretical aspects of autocratization, such as those examining illiberal and authoritarian public rhetoric and those assessing how women conceptualize their resistance in countries that experience democratic backsliding, as well as case studies of campaigns and advocacy organizations, are welcome. Comparative studies that include multiple cases are also welcome. Through the analysis of language, the discussions in this panel will ultimately lead to elucidate whether language can be used to bridge the gap in polarized societies or, on the contrary, it only cements the divide leading to a complete break of communication, seemingly beyond repair.
We welcome papers with any methods including quantitative, qualitative, mixed and critical methods.
The scope of the panel includes, but is not limited to studies in relation to women’s rights and roles focused on:
Conceptual discussions on democratic backsliding and gender
Ideology
Framing
Social media
Women’s mobilizations and demonstrations
Strategies of women’s movement
Subversion, Satire and humor
Varieties of feminisms
Polarization and ‘Othering’
Public discourse
Linguistic toolkit of populism
Disinformation
Hegemonic masculinity and authoritarianism