Study Notes from After Postmodernism: Reactionary Tribalism by Robert J. Antonio

The essay discusses revived Weimar-era radical conservatism along with fresh New Right and paleoconservative theories. These ideologies provide a radical cultural critique of global capitalism and liberal democracy.
They express a trend towards re-tribalization and a perceived failure of modernization, attacking multicultural nation-states, liberal rights, and universal citizenship.

Reactionary Tribalism: A cultural movement rejecting universal citizenship for communal identities based on ethnicity or tribe.
Total Critique of Modernity: This approach critiques the assumptions of modernity, arguing that the ideals of social progress as posited by modern theory are exhausted and in decline.

The concept ties to a historical tendency in 20th-century theory referred to as the total critique of modernity, which amalgamates Nietzschean and Weberian concepts.
Historically, total critique has led to ideological overlaps between radical conservatism and leftist strong-program postmodernism. In contrast to critical sociologists who adopted “internal critique” and reflexive theories, those advocating total critique argue for a fundamental rejection of modernity’s core tenets.

Max Weber: Stated that "material and ideal interests directly govern conduct" and that societal upheavals produce new viewpoints; sociocultural ruptures reveal existing institutions and ideas.
Karl Mannheim: Explored how normatively driven theories pose utopias that become politically effective when certain societal groups or movements co-opt them.

The resurgence of tribalism often criticized postwar social democracies for homogenizing differences.
The essay posits that this cultural shift poses important questions regarding democracy's ability to protect cultural diversity.
Referencing figures like Alain de Benoist from the European New Right, the text explores the synthesis of radical left and right ideas.
Reactionary critiques of modernity and its homogenizing effects are presented as sophisticated and relevant sociopolitical responses.

Cultural Postmodernization: Refers to the processes reshaping society, pushing against fixed values and ideologies.
Key themes include:
- Autoreferential Culture: Asserts that culture evolves by its internal logic and without ties to traditional values.
- Anti-universalism: Challenges homogenizing forces by emphasizing local cultures and identities contrary to overarching universal rights.
New Social Movements (NSMs): Cultural politics supersede classical class struggles, reorienting activism toward minority rights and recognition.

The essay critiques the polarization of modern/postmodern thought. Strong-program postmodernism denies the possibility of reaching shared consensus among different social groups, suggesting all knowledge is politically constructed.

Comments on the debate around modern democratic ideals, suggesting that cultural particularism could lead to radical decentralization and conflict.
The emergence of paleoconservatism signals a desire to reclaim ethnic identities and rights against the rise of multiculturalism and global capitalism.

Neoliberalism's Impact: Neoliberal policies eroding welfare state and promoting market dominance leads to social fragmentation and a push toward radical conservatism.
Historical Events: The resurgence of xenophobia and violence in various regions (e.g., Bosnia, Rwanda) suggests the potential for tribalism to escalate into severe conflict.

The text underscores the importance of re-engaging with sociology and modernity’s principles in the face of reactionary tribalism's rise.
Anticipates the potential resurgence of radical conservative ideologies as alternatives to diminishing liberalism and the historical analogies drawn from Weimar-era politics.