Hauptinhalt

Between Anti-Feminism and Nationalism: Gender, Bodies, and God in German-Speaking Evangelicalism

Ringvorlesung 2026: Anti/Feminism & Nationalism

Veranstaltungsdaten

Abstract

This presentation analyzes contemporary forms of antifeminism in German-speaking contexts as a nexus of nationalist and evangelical discourses. Starting from the observation that “gender” is increasingly framed as a threat to collective identity, we demonstrate how antifeminist narratives are religiously legitimized, politically mobilized, and circulated transnationally. Particular attention is paid to evangelical actors and networks that intertwine ideas of family, gender, and nation, thereby creating points of connection with right-wing populist and nationalist projects. The paper approaches antifeminism not as a marginal phenomenon, but as a central mechanism in contemporary negotiations of democracy, body politics, and social order in German-speaking societies.

Bio-Statement: Dr. Jessica Albrecht

Jessica Albrecht is a postdoctoral research coordinator at the Center for Advanced Studies Erlangen, “Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices in Global Perspective” at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg. Her main research interests lie in the Global Religious History of esotericism and Buddhism, with a particular focus on Sri Lanka, the history of the British Empire and the intersectional relationship between religion, gender, and nationalism. Jessica Albrecht is also the co-founder of the international and interdisciplinary Gender Studies collective and research journal En-Gender.

Bio-Statement: Madlen Geidel 

Madlen Geidel is a doctoral researcher and research associate at the Chair of Media Communication, Media Ethics and Digital Theology at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg. Her research focuses on Christian influencing, right-wing populism, and sexual ethics in digital media. Madlen Geidels background as a news journalist at ARTE has shaped her academic interest in researching communication strategies and their role in political influence. In addition, she worked in the research program “Religious Communities and Sustainable Development” at Humboldt University Berlin.