Objective
This panel seeks to explore the evolving forms of anti-Westernism articulated by authoritarian regimes in the 21st century. As global power dynamics shift, anti-Westernism has become a key element in the political rhetoric and strategic positioning of states such as China, Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, among others. This panel aims to dissect how these states construct and mobilize anti-Western identities in response to the historically dominant position of the US and Europe.
Panel focus
We invite papers that delve into the complexities of anti-Westernism from a variety of perspectives, with a particular focus on:
1. Identity construction and international relations. How do authoritarian states construct anti-Western identities? What are the implications for their international strategies and behaviors?
2. Links to foreign policy. What are the mechanisms that connect anti-Westernism to concrete foreign policy actions?
3. Comparative analysis. How does anti-Western rhetoric manifest differently across various authoritarian regimes? What factors contribute to these differences, and what do they reveal about the global order?
4. Global-local nexus. How do global and local dynamics interact in forming and expressing anti-Western sentiments? We are particularly interested in exploring the feedback loops between domestic policies and international positioning.
Key dimensions of analysis
To operationalize the concept of Anti-Westernism, we propose several analytical dimensions, including but not limited to:
• Political sovereignty – resistance to Western political norms and institutions.
• Ideological opposition – rejection of Western liberal values in favor of alternatives.
• Strategic rivalry – engagement in geopolitical and military competition with Western powers.
• Alternative global order – efforts to promote new models of global governance in opposition to liberal international order.
We encourage submissions from scholars with diverse regional expertise and disciplinary backgrounds. We particularly welcome papers that offer innovative theoretical frameworks or empirical research that can contribute to a deeper understanding of the global implications of anti-Westernism.