Anti-Gender Politics and Authoritarian Practices in Albania: Illiberalism through the Politics of Gender

This paper examines the convergence between anti-gender politics and authoritarian state practices in Albania, arguing that anti-gender mobilizations function as a key mechanism for the production of illiberal political order. Building on theoretical frameworks from gender studies, critical authoritarianism studies, and populism theory, the research situates anti-gender discourse within broader processes of democratic backsliding and norm erosion. Drawing on scholars such as Judith Butler on gender performativity, Nancy Fraser on counter-hegemonic struggles, and Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way on competitive authoritarianism, the study conceptualizes anti-genderism as a "symbolic glue" that binds reactionary forces across different sectors of society and state institutions. Through a qualitative case study of Albania—including discourse analysis, legal and policy review, and interviews with activists and political actors—the paper demonstrates how political elites use anti-gender rhetoric to reassert traditional hierarchies, delegitimize liberal civil society, and reinforce authoritarian governance structures. The Albanian case reveals how anti-gender politics not only mobilize societal anxieties around identity and sovereignty but also act as tools for political survival and power consolidation in fragile democracies. By linking the Albanian experience to global authoritarian trends, the paper advances the argument that anti-genderism should be understood as a constitutive element of contemporary authoritarian projects rather than merely a cultural backlash.