Joan Braune

Joan Braune is a Lecturer in Philosophy at Gonzaga University and a part-time Instructor in the Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies. She serves on the International Council of Experts for the Gonzaga Institute for Hate Studies and the editorial board of the Journal of Hate Studies. Her work bridges Critical Theory and Hate Studies, focusing on Erich Fromm's theories to analyze and counter fascist movements and white nationalism.

• Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Kentucky (2013)
• Specializes in intersections of religion and socialist philosophy
• Focuses on neo-fascist recruitment, psychological needs, and antisemitic conspiracy theories

Her research explores Fromm's concepts of biophilia/necrophilia, mass shootings, and the ethical challenges of far-right studies. She is co-editor of Erich Fromm's Critical Theory: Hope, Humanism, and the Future (2020) and author of Understanding and Countering Fascist Movements: From Void to Hope (2024). Her recent articles analyze neo-fascist psychology, anti-'Woke' rhetoric, and mass violence through Fromm's lens.

Dr. Braune actively engages community organizations, faith groups, and government agencies through workshops and trainings, addressing white nationalist recruitment, Christian nationalism, and educational strategies for confronting hate. She collaborates with institutions like the PERIL Institute and C-REX, and her work is endorsed by leaders in social justice and antifascist advocacy.