Technofascism and the Challenge of Solidarity

Solidarity is not a new concept: Having emerged in the 19th century in response to the social upheavals of capitalist class society, it has since been inextricably linked to the idea of a collective society. But the situation has changed considerably. The internet no longer simply reproduces discrimination – technofascism has become the norm. Technofascism refers to the combination of fascist ideologies with digital technologies and platform power, which is used to oppress social groups. At the same time, social media platforms are designed to control attention, networking, and visibility. This reinforces the interplay of economic interests, digital infrastructures, and social radicalisation. These platforms have permeated everyday life, altering our perceptions and subjectification, making social conditions tangible along the axes of race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability.

In this tense context, it is becoming increasingly difficult to understand solidarity as a tangible act of redistribution and care instead of a hollow metaphor. »We are in need of a good reliable concept of solidarity«, says Degeling, explaining the core of her research approach. »But it has to do justice to the circumstances we are actually living in«.

Disruption, Resistance, and Unexpected Practices

The project combines current research on digital media and critical infrastructure with queer, socially critical perspectives. By doing this, researchers can find unexpected errors, coincidences, and disruptions in modern network cultures and look for contemporary practices of solidarity that can trigger mutual support processes and social change.

One example of this is internet censorship in Iran. The project is studying the consequences of exclusion from digital infrastructures from a post-migrant perspective. Which forms of resistance and mutual support emerge under such conditions? And how can they be made visible?

These are among the questions that form the heart of the project, which aims to identify practices of solidarity that can strengthen social cohesion and generate new possibilities for action.

Careful Abolition: For Fairer Futures

The concept of »Careful Abolition« plays a key role here. The term borrows from abolitionism that represents the dismantling of oppressive structures, combined with the development of compassionate alternatives. It draws on social movements that oppose exclusion, oppression, and exploitation – from the abolition of slavery to today’s intersectional resistance movements, such as feminist care-work strikes, which target various forms of exploitation and fight for social structures that allow greater equality and participation. One thing is clear: There can be no such thing as a fascist concept of solidarity. Solidarity does not originate from exclusion, but rather through an awareness of shared responsibility and mutual vulnerability. This is precisely why the concept is so significant in times of social crises and why it must be defended.

One of the fundamental questions that the project explores is how solidarity can be organised both with and against tech-fascist infrastructures that pose a global threat to social services and democratisation. »This question can only be answered through media transformation«, says Degeling. »We want to analyse the micro-processes and concrete practices and build on them to define concepts to highlight opportunities for solidarity. We want to ask how socio-media-technical solidarity infrastructures are still possible and how they can be explored.«

Putting Theory into Practice

Over the course of the 18-month project (July 2026 to December 2027), Degeling and Figge will be working to develop formats and theoretical approaches that will allow them to engage in discussions with people who they may not otherwise have come into contact with. The concepts that they develop will then be tested in civil society and NGO settings.

Hard-Won Funding for Bold Research

The VolkswagenStiftung’s »Aufbruch« funding programme is specifically aimed at the humanities and cultural studies; it focusses on international, interdisciplinary projects that open up new research areas. Competition for the funding is fierce, and project approval is a testament to the influence of humanities and cultural studies research at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.

Further information can be found under 
https://www.uni-weimar.de/de/medien/professuren/medienwissenschaft/medienanthropologie/ 

Questions can be directed to Jr. Prof. Jasmin Degeling, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Faculty of Media, Junior Professorship of Media Anthropology, via e-mail to jasmin.degeling[at]uni-weimar.de.