In the face of the multiple crises shaping our turbulent present, public, state or private institutions – such as associations, parliaments, trade unions, social organisations and alliances – are reliable spaces in which social coexistence is organised, social life is shaped and democracy is fostered. However, these spaces are increasingly under threat: for example, through cuts to social services and programmes promoting democracy, or through the infiltration of trade unions and works councils by the far right.

“The far right is strategically focused on delegitimising unwelcome institutions and filling the resulting vacuums; at the same time, it deliberately exploits the social infrastructure to establish its own initiatives. These right-wing encroachments therefore also directly affect social pedagogy and social work,” explains Benjamin Bunk, acting professor of Social Pedagogy/Social Services at the University of Wuppertal, who is organising the event together with his colleagues.

Protection against extremists

In eastern Germany, the danger is already more tangible. “There are attempts there to prepare for this,” says Bunk. In the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt, a broad coalition ranging from the CDU to Die Linke recently passed a parliamentary reform aimed at safeguarding democratic institutions against extremists.

“The current situation raises many questions which we, as academics, wish to explore together with the public,” emphasises Stephan Dorf, a research assistant in the Social Pedagogy working group specialising in the foundations of social policy. These include, for example: What are ‘good’ institutions? Which institutions need to be defended because they are of particular importance to our democracy? How is the right-wing encroachment already taking place in social pedagogy and trade union contexts? What internal conflicts do right-wing encroachments impose on democratic institutions? What options does civil society have to arm itself against right-wing encroachments, and what can the West and the East learn from one another?

At the event ‘Democratic Institutions and Social Work – Stories of Right-Wing Encroachments between East and West’ on 7 July at the University of Wuppertal, three guests from the fields of trade unions, social pedagogy and civil society will share their experiences. This will be followed by a discussion and an open exchange with the audience. “Our aim is to jointly address the right-wing encroachments already taking place between East and West within a university context,” says Annika Schulz, a student assistant at the Chair of Social Pedagogy/Social Services. Anyone interested is warmly invited to attend.

The programme: presentations followed by a discussion

“Right-wing encroachment in the world of work? A trade union perspective on East and West Germany” – Mark Haarfeldt (DGB Bildungswerk e.V., grew up in Dresden, lives in Bochum)

“Resilience?! Social work in times of right-wing pressure in a province in northern Thuringia” – Stephanie Tiepelmann-Halm (schrankenlos e.V., lives in Nordhausen)

“Affirmations, uncertainties and offensives – Dealing with calls for neutrality in political education” – Jana Sämann (University of Siegen, lives in Bremen)

Moderators: Stephan Dorf (University of Wuppertal, lives in Wuppertal) and Benjamin Bunk (University of Wuppertal, lives in Jena)