Roundtable on the Politics and Discourse of Fifth Columns In Eurasia

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Session Description

The invocation of fifth columns in the political arena has historically had baleful effects on governance and trust in multiethnic states. The term fifth column was originally used to describe perceived ideological supporters of foreign adversaries but also commonly refers to disloyal ethnic groups that are sometimes embroiled in geopolitical rivalries. This roundtable examines the politics and discourse of fifth columns in historical and comparative perspective. It includes scholars whose expertise lies primarily in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the post-Soviet states, and the Middle East. These regions saw the collapse of empires and the emergence of nation-states in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, Eurasia is increasingly characterized by populism, authoritarianism, ethnic nationalism, weakening of democratic norms, scapegoating of minorities and political dissidents, and intermittent geopolitical tensions. Seeing these phenomena as conceptually related and applying a comparative lens will contribute to ongoing debates about political developments in the region, while advancing our theoretical understanding on the conditions under which fifth column allegations appear, endure, and wane. Three overarching questions frame the roundtable discussion:

• How are the invocation and treatment of alleged fifth columns today different from those in the past?
• Are political claims and contestation about ethnically defined fifth columns different from those involving ideological or non-ascriptive groups?
• What accounts for variation in contestation over fifth column claims across space?

Sub Unit

• Related Groups / Association for the Study of Nationalities

Chair

• Harris Mylonas George Washington University

Presenters

• Samer Anabtawi The George Washington University

• Kristin E. Fabbe Harvard Business School

• Lillian Frost George Washington University

• Scott B. Radnitz University of Washington

• H. Zeynep Bulutgil University College London

• Keith A. Darden American University