Call for Applications: The Return of Oligarchy. On the History and Critique of a Powerful Phenomenon | bpb.de

The current discourse surrounding this new-old term often focuses on individuals who seek to shape the planet’s future through their own economic power by investing heavily in accelerationist technologies. Yet this discourse rarely addresses the political and economic structures that enable such power dynamics. Oligarchy is often associated with outrageous luxury, kitsch, and poor taste. The super-rich conduct shady business behind closed doors, while trying to build a public reputation as they purchase football clubs, prestigious publishing houses, and organize mega-events. These days, however, they also represent a form of unbridled capitalism that paves the way for far-right views and even fascist tendencies.

Oligarchy is a term from antiquity that originally referred to a distorted form of aristocracy. Over time, the concept has evolved and taken on different meanings in various regions and forms of government. As early as 1946, Aldous Huxley foresaw the dawn of an age of oligarchs who would seize power with the help of science, technology, and nationalism. Paradoxically, oligarchy nevertheless remains a vague concept. While everyone has a general idea of what it means, the discourse lacks a more precise theoretical clarification and historical contextualization. This is particularly true today, when social and existential uncertainties cannot be adequately described without a proper conceptual framework of oligarchy.

The two interdisciplinary workshops aim to clarify the theoretical definition of the term "oligarchy." They will examine the concept from historical, political, anthropological, and cultural studies perspectives. We invite researchers, as well as contributors from civil society, the arts, and the media, to engage with the following questions:

• How can the phenomenon of oligarchy be explained historically and conceptually? How does it relate to concepts and ideologies such as democracy and state-building, imperialism and decoloniality, late capitalism, accelerationism, and extractivism?

• What social structures and institutions does oligarchic power bring forth? Are there oligarchically shaped societies or oligarchic social norms?

• Are there specific cultural formations and aesthetic forms shaped by oligarchic structures? Do oligarchies manifest in particular spaces and time periods?

The workshops will take place on September 10–11, 2026, and March 11–12, 2027, at the Leibniz Center for Literary and Cultural Research.

We are interested in contributions addressing all regions and contexts that help explain the current situation. We welcome a wide range of formats, including academic presentations, artistic contributions, and multimedia research projects.