Book presentation: Social Psychology of Authoritarianism. On the Relevance of the Frankfurt School's Research on Authoritarianismer Frankfurter Schule
An event hosted by the IKW, organized by Jens Kastner.
Markus Brunner
(Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität Wien)
In order to better understand and assess the rise of authoritarian movements and the electoral successes of authoritarian parties, it is necessary to take a detailed and differentiated look at the authoritarianism research conducted by the Frankfurt Institute for Social Research. Against the backdrop of discussions about the causes of current authoritarian dynamics and new forms of authoritarianism, Markus Brunner presents a detailed and systematic account of the diverse authoritarianism research conducted by the Frankfurt School. The discussions on the so-called “authoritarian character,” propaganda research, and mass psychological considerations on authoritarianism are presented and reexamined in the context of their reception and current social psychological debates, and their relevance today is questioned. Brunner advocates in particular for a more dynamic and mass-psychologically oriented perspective and makes it clear how this contributes to a better understanding of today's authoritarianism.