The German Politics Specialist Group (GPSG) of the UK Political Studies Association (PSA) is inviting abstract submissions for a two-day, in-person conference with a key focus on Germany’s “militant democracy” (wehrhafte Demokratie). Papers on German politics more broadly are also welcome.

The conference aims to look back at 75 years of wehrhafte Demokratie and examine past and contemporary challenges and innovations to Germany’s democracy more broadly. Amidst increasing challenges from radical and extremist parties, investigating the institutional and societal mechanisms to protect and innovate democracy is maybe more important than ever. Germany’s “militant democracy” provides a fruitful background for doing so. As a response to the collapse of Weimar democracy and the Nazi dictatorship, militant democracy has been largely successful whilst not without political controversies. Aiming to examine its origins, development, and consequences, relevant topics include but are not limited to:
- the historical origins and development of the concept of “militant democracy”,
- the legal and political manifestations of militant democracy, including past and contemporary debates around bans on political parties,
- the economic, social, and political consequences of militant democracy,
- the impact of militant democracy on the development of Germany’s civil society,
- the efficacy of militant democracy for inter- and transnational challenges such as war and climate change,
- militant democracy in comparative perspective and alternative paths to strong and sustainable liberal democracies,
- the place of militant democracy in Germany’s collective memory, and
- the role of militant democracy in political contestation and social movement politics.

We welcome submissions from scholars at all career stages and particularly encourage submissions from PhD and post-doctoral researchers. We also welcome comparative papers. We hope to use conference papers for putting together a special issue on militant democracy.
Swansea is within easy reach from Cardiff, Bristol, and London airports. No conference fee will be raised, and we hope to be able to offer financial support to early-career researchers. Coffee, tea and refreshments will be provided during the conference.

Please send your abstracts of no more than 250 words to Dr Chantal Sullivan-Thomsett (C.Sullivan-Thomsett@uea.ac.uk) by 20 May 2024. Paper givers are asked to circulate full papers two weeks before the conference so that discussants can provide in-depth feedback.