From 18th to 20th June, Democracy Under Siege: Global Fascism, Populism, Illiberalism -- 8th Convention of the International Association for Comparative Fascist Studies, will take place at ICS-ULisboa (in several rooms).

The debate on the similarities and differences between fascism, authoritarianism, and populism has been present in political discourse since the first half of the twentieth century and remains highly relevant today. Over time, the discussion has grown increasingly complex, incorporating related concepts such as the radical right, neo-fascism, and populism - phenomena that have gained renewed prominence in the wake of Donald Trump’s electoral victories and the long-standing political reigns of V. Putin and V. Orban. Major media outlets such as Le Monde, NPR, New York Times, CNN, Politico, and The Guardian frequently host debates among social scientists to clarify whether Trumpism could be understood as a form of radicalization potentially leading to fascism.

In this context, historians have the challenging task of advancing a nuanced and rigorous understanding of these phenomena, offering rigorous definitions that can enrich public debate. To this end, the International Association for Comparative Fascist Studies (COMFAS) dedicates its Eighth Convention to these issues, bringing together researchers from diverse disciplinary fields, geographical contexts, and scholarly traditions. The convention aims to provide a platform for plural discussion and challenging debate, encompassing papers that range from empirical case studies to synchronic and diachronic comparisons, exploring the diffusion of non-democratic political projects from the rise of fascism to the present.

The Convention’s broad research agenda also reflects the tribute that COMFAS wishes to pay to António Costa Pinto, a scholar who has played a seminal role in advancing the comparative study of Authoritarian political regimes in Europe and the “Global South”. A special session of the Eighth  ComFas Convention will be devoted to the contributions and impact of his multifaceted work.

Organizing Committee:

Duncan Simpson, ICS-ULisboa

Rita Almeida de Carvalho, ICS-ULisboa

Marina Costa Lobo, ICS-ULisboa

Andres Malamud, ICS-ULisboa

André Paris, ISCSP-ULisboa

Constantin Iordachi, Central European University 

Aristotle Kallis, Keele University