Trans-national diffusion patterns and the future of far right party research: Independence vs. interdependence

Steven M Van Hauwaert

doi:10.1007/s40309-014-0054-5

Abstract

An extensive literature deals with the socio-political and electoral factors that inspire and explain far right party development. Very often in this discussion, far right parties (FRPs) are hypothesised as independent entities that do not have an influence on - or are influenced by - other far right parties. This critical reflection challenges that assumption and suggests that trans-national diffusion patterns between far right parties are not only underdeveloped in existing explanations of far right development, but are also critical for an improved and more complete understanding of the far right party phenomenon as a whole. In an initial discussion of diffusion, this particular article emphasises its prominence as an explanatory factor of far party development and reflects in more detail upon its role, extent and scope. On a more normative note, a more comprehensive and accurate explanatory model of far right party development could prove to be useful to anticipate future societal evolutions and political developments.

Highlights

The notion that everyone is connected to everyone by a limited number of links has been around for ages, with John Guare’s film ‘Six Degrees of Separation’ as the most common popularisation of the concept
far right parties (FRPs) play an important role, how is it possible to further define and analyse this role, in the specific context of FRP development and/or success?. This critical reflection seeks to clarify and elaborate the enigmatic nature of these questions. It advocates for a more detailed analysis of the dynamic FRP network, irrespective of the fact that the study of interdependence is relatively uncommon in party politics and largely absent from FRP research
In an effort to analyse FRP development more accurately and comprehensively, this study proposes that any and all analytical accounts of FRP development should not be restricted to the analysis of independent FRPs or an autonomous phenomenon, but should include trans-national dynamics

Summary

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Trans-national diffusion patterns and the future of far right party research: Independence vs. interdependence. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com

Introduction

Structural independence as an unlikely hypothesis

FRP development and the process of diffusion

Prospective remarks