Die Geister hinter MAGA

• As part of the series "Masculinity.Power.USA – On 'Tech Bros' and Boys' Clubs"
• in cooperation with the Federal Agency for Civic Education

On this evening, we will explore the intellectual historical foundations and theories of the U.S. power elite: from the katechontism of Peter Thieland Carl Schmitt or the ideology of unbridled capitalism as championed by Ayn Rand, to neo-reactionary thinkers like Curtis Yarvin and a politics of the “Dark Enlightenment,” and a “techno-industrial complex” intoxicated by power—at least since the 2024 election. Which thought leaders are being referenced in the White House and Silicon Valley? What beliefs fuel the MAGA movement, and how are the ideologies of the “new princes” of the tech world changing our understanding of political and economic sovereignty?

Dr. Moritz Rudolph, a historian of ideas, together with political scientist and historian Dr. Carlotta Voß, will provide insights into the intellectual foundations of Trump and his allies through a curated book review.

Guest:

Dr. Carlotta Voß studied history, political science, and theology. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Research Institute for Philosophy in Hanover and a political analyst in Berlin. She writes for publications including *Merkur* and *Philosophie Magazin*. 

Dr. Moritz Rudolph studied political science, history, and philosophy. He lives in Leipzig and writes for publications such as *Merkur*; he is also an editor at *Philosophie Magazin*. His most recent book, *Unity and Disintegration: International Politics in Early Critical Theory*, was published by Matthes & Seitz.

About the Series

"Masculinity.Power.USA

on tech bros and boys’ clubs”

A series of events in cooperation with the Federal Agency for Civic Education

What do new images of masculinity, political developments in the U.S., and the unrelenting thirst for oil have in common? In our series “Masculinity.Power.USA – on tech bros and boys’ clubs,” we aim to explore the ideological interconnections between hypermasculine worldviews, capitalism, and current U.S. politics. We examine the ideologies of neo-reactionary thinkers and ask why their “dark Enlightenment” was able to seep not only into the corridors of power in Silicon Valley but ultimately take hold in the White House as well. We analyze the phenomenon of “petromasculinity” and why male identity perceives climate protection as a threat and thus calls all the more loudly for the defense of fossil fuels. Amid Bitcoin hype and fantasies of masculinity, we examine whether cryptocurrencies truly promise freedom. And last but not least, we take a look at how patriarchal violence operates in politics, the economy, and society—and how, as exemplified by the Epstein case, it is inextricably intertwined, as if under a magnifying glass.

All Dates

Wed, August 19, 7:00 p.m. 
The Minds Behind MAGA: Intellectual Lineages of Neo-Reactionary Thought

Tue, August 25, 7 p.m.
Drill, Baby, Drill! A Conversation on Petro-Masculinity 

Tue, September 1, 7:00 p.m.
Crypto, Crisis, Cult? Bitcoin Between Emancipation and Fantasies of Masculinity

Wed, September 15, 7:00 p.m.
The Epstein Files: Within the Network of Patriarchal Violence