The Transnationalization of Ethno-nationalism : The Case of the Identitarian Movement

Petra Mlejnková

doi:10.17356/ieejsp.v7i1.572

Abstract

The Identitarian movement, a radical-right movement active in a number of European countries, desires to unite European nationalists in international action. Nevertheless, the theory claims that the latter ideology is based on nativism. This might create internal ideological conflict between nativism versus transnationalism. The article offers a qualitative analysis of how the movement solves the issue of identity framing on the transnational level. This is a question of how the ethno-nationalist message is transformed to the transnational level, and how national needs are translated into transnational ones. The findings show that the Identitarian movement constructs a two-fold identity – a national one and a European one; and operates with three types of identity framing, thereby building a complex picture of a common past, present, and future. All three frames always act to maintain a balance between both identities, and always work with the language of civilization. Such framing, then, might lead to the successful mobilization of international resources and turn ideas into action.

Highlights

Increasing internationalization raises attention to the transnational mobilization of the European radical right
The article responds to these questions by applying a qualitative single-case analysis of the Identitarian movement, which is active in a number of European countries and represents an attempt by the radical-right movement to join European nationalists in international action when mobilizing international resources
Transnationalization is understood as interaction between national and foreign actors that is aimed at engaging in protest, making demands, and communicating a message

Summary

Introduction

Increasing internationalization raises attention to the transnational mobilization of the European radical right. The concept of autonomous nationalism has gained popularity all over Europe – even in Australia and New Zealand in the first decade of the new millennium Later, this was followed by the emergence of the new concept of the Identitarian movement, with a return to the thinking of the French Nouvelle Droite. The German Pegida movement was disseminated and branches were soon founded in Great Britain, Netherlands, Austria, Bulgaria, Sweden, and Canada Vigilante movements such as the Soldiers of Odin inspired and were copypasted in a few European countries; the same goes for the neo-Nazi organization Nordic Resistance Movement, with local branches founded in all the Scandinavian countries. The article responds to these questions by applying a qualitative single-case analysis of the Identitarian movement, which is active in a number of European countries and represents an attempt by the radical-right movement to join European nationalists in international action when mobilizing international resources. In different countries they use (slightly) different names, but it is still the same entity, promoting the same politics and principles, and referring back to the same brand

Radical-right identity and the allenge of transnational mobilization

Two-fold identity

Conclusion