Call for Papers: Aleksanteri Conference 2025

EXTREMISMS: Ambiguities, Ideologies, Agency | 22–24 October 2025

This year’s conference addresses the pressing challenges of extremism in a world shaped by prolonged and overlapping crises. The conference will explore the rise of disinformation, polarization, and illiberal movements, alongside the erosion of trust in institutions and democratic practices. Extremism, in its various forms—ranging from the radicalization of individuals to the transformation of institutions and state ideologies—has emerged as a global phenomenon, transcending traditional East-West divides.

The conference seeks to foster a deeper understanding of extremism’s impact on ideologies, cultures, and political systems, while addressing its implications for democracy, trust, and global solidarity. The organizers invite contributions that examine these urgent developments through diverse lenses.

 The organizers welcome contributions focusing on: 

• The changing concept of extremism 
• Historical roots of different forms of extremism 
• Circulation of ideas and narratives  
• Networking extremism  
• Extremism as a tool of (de)legitimization 
• Triggers and social realities 
• Debated values: Gender, ethnicity, nationalism 
• Knowledge production in time of extremism 
• Conspiracy theories and disinformation 
• Mitigation scenarios and future perspectives  

Deadline for submitting panel, roundtable, and paper proposals: 7 May 2025