Far-right Political Parties Research Articles

The media coverage of the European Union and the extreme right. A comparative study between Spain, France, and Italy

The parliamentary representation of far-right political parties is growing in several European Union countries, particularly after the Great Recession. This has increased the media attention they receive. These parties share eurosceptic positions or question the idea of European integration, but does their rise alter public discussion on the European Union? Using a quantitative content analysis (N=974) conducted in 6 media outlets: El País and El Mundo (Spain), Le Monde and Le Figaro (France), and Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica (Italy), the research describes and compares media coverage on issues related to the European Union before and after the Great Recession and how the rise of the far-right has affected the European public sphere. The results indicate that public discussion about the European Union is in decline and that national and top-down Europeanisation approaches are on the rise, coinciding with increased coverage of the far-right.

Suffering and prejudice: do negative emotions predict immigration concerns?

This paper examines the role of individuals’ emotions in determining their concerns about international migration. For the empirical analysis, we exploit little-explored information in the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) data on individuals’ negative emotions, e.g., anger, fear, and sadness. We find that the frequency of experiencing negative emotions is positively associated with immigration concerns. Moreover, we show that the relationship varies across employment status, birth cohort, and social media usage. Our analysis also underscores the real-life consequence of emotions by demonstrating their positive association with support for far-right political parties among males, but not among females. Finally, we exploit the exogenous variation in negative emotions induced by the death of a parent to infer causality. Fixed effects regressions with instrumental variables exhibit a positive impact of negative emotions on immigration concerns among females, but no significant effects are found among males. Further investigation into channels driving these gender differences in results underscores gender differences in roles played by other concerns that often carry over to determine individuals’ immigration concerns, e.g., concerns about international terrorism.

Imaginarios neo-colonizadores, Santiago Abascal y discursos (post)imperiales en redes sociales

The growing success of far-right political parties like Vox in Spain has attracted multiple studies that try to analyse this phenomenon. This article takes an intersectional approach to analyse the neo-imperial nature of Vox’s discourses and symbology together with the public construction of Santiago Abascal’s hypermasculinity. Thus, employing a decolonial theoretical framework, this study examines the triumph, symbology and construction of hegemonic masculinity in Vox, not only from an identity perspective derived from the patriarchal system but also from the post-imperial condition of contemporary Spain. Through close readings of Abascal’s social media posts, this article examines the instrumentalization of an imperial imaginary for the construction of an anti-Catalan and neo-colonial nationalism. Ultimately, the post-imperial images used by Vox function as affective devices for the construction of masculinity through appealing to the hero and his conquering enterprise that entails a violent ontology of domination of an Other.

Political context and immigrants' work-related performance errors: Insights from the National Basketball Association.

In numerous countries, both international migration and regional support for far-right political parties are on the rise. This is important considering that a frequent aim of far-right political parties is to aggressively limit the inflow of immigrants. Understanding how regional far-right political support affects the immigrants working in these regions is therefore vital for executives and organizations as a whole. Integrating political science research at the macro-level with stereotype threat theory at the individual level, we argue that regional far-right political support makes negative immigrant stereotypes salient, increasing the number of work-related performance errors conducted by immigrants while reducing those by natives. Using objective field data from a professional sports context, we demonstrate how subordinates' immigrant status interacts with the political context in which they reside to predict their frequency of performance errors.

Who feels marginalized? A latent class analysis of perceived societal marginalization

Previous research has followed a binary perspective in analyzing the effects of modernization and globalization, often assumed to produce the societal camps of both “winners” and “losers” in economic, cultural, and political terms. However, our understanding of these individual differences and the social groups that perceive themselves as disadvantaged by society is still limited. Hence, in contrast to previous findings we argue that the phenomenon may be better grasped by following a “pattern approach.” Hence, in three different samples (total N = 2,566), we applied Latent Class Analysis to investigate subgroups representing individual differences in Perceived Societal Marginalization (PSM). Furthermore, we explored sociodemographic, personal-resource-related, attitudinal, and personality determinants of people’s class membership probabilities to better understand the subgroups—or: patterns—we identified in substantive terms. In the discussion, we focus on the implications of our findings regarding societal cleavages, prejudice toward minority groups, and the support of far-right political parties.

On the occasion of the centennial of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1923: Nicolae C. Paulescu-between scientific creativity and political fanatism.

On the occasion of the centennial of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1923: Nicolae C. Paulescu-between scientific creativity and political fanatism.

EXPLAINING THE RISE OF ALTERNATIVE FÜR DEUTSCHLAND (AFD) IN GERMANY WITH FAILED PROMISES OF UNIFICATION

The purpose of this paper is to explain the rise of a far-right political party, Alternative Für Deutschland (AfD), particularly in the eastern part of Germany, in relation to the failed promises of Unification in 1990. Despite the fact that a plethora of literature has primarily focused on the social consequences of immigration and populist rhetoric for the rise of the AfD in German politics since 2013, the paper critically questions why the AfD has a particularly stronghold in Germany's Neuen Länder (New States). The paper suggests, based on a political economy analysis that incorporates Durkheim's theory of anomie, that the gradual withdrawal of early euphoria in German Unification and its transformation into economic grievance and political distrust under neoliberalism has created anomic tensions in society, a condition that far-right politics can exploit. In other words, while German unification created euphoric expectations for the future, these expectations were not met under neoliberal conditions. It is, therefore, concluded that the persistence of unequal economic power between East and West Germany, as well as political underrepresentation of Eastern Germans, has exacerbated anomic tensions. As a result, the rise of the AfD is not a pathological issue, but rather can be explained in terms of unmet social demands among Germans.

The Gendered Necropolitics of Migration Control in a French Postcolonial Periphery

This article examines the postcolonial politics of migration control in Mayotte, an overseas French department, and argues that these bear necropolitical consequences. It sheds light on the gendered dimension of this necropolitical power by focusing on the life and border-crossing experiences of undocumented Comorian women. Entrenched barriers to the regularization of their administrative status endanger their access to healthcare and degrade the conditions for life long-term. The constant risk of arrest and massive forced removals furthermore engender dangerous border crossings, each instance exposing the passengers to the risk of death. The article also foregrounds that these necropolitics are exacerbated as a result of the postcolonial conundrum in which Mahoran elites find themselves, with the increasing support of Black and Muslim elites for the French far-right political party.

The Gendered Necropolitics of Migration Control in a French Postcolonial Periphery

This article examines the postcolonial politics of migration control in Mayotte, an overseas French department, and argues that these bear necropolitical consequences. It sheds light on the gendered dimension of this necropolitical power by focusing on the life and border-crossing experiences of undocumented Comorian women. Entrenched barriers to the regularization of their administrative status endanger their access to healthcare and degrade the conditions for life long-term. The constant risk of arrest and massive forced removals furthermore engender dangerous border crossings, each instance exposing the passengers to the risk of death. The article also foregrounds that these necropolitics are exacerbated as a result of the postcolonial conundrum in which Mahoran elites find themselves, with the increasing support of Black and Muslim elites for the French far-right political party.

The Rise of Far-right Politics in Europe: Examples from Italy, Hungary and France

Over the years, far-right politics has plateaued in terms of support in different parts of the world. The increasing acceptance of right-wing political agendas, such as in the US, Brazil, and New Zealand, has opened a conduit for the growth of far-right politics, especially in the European scene. The transformation of these politics to fighting an unfair system has gained resonance among the electorate, thus increasing its popularity. This essay studied the rise of far-right politics in Europe, exploring the recent wins of far-right parties in Italy, the case of Hungary’s decade-long right-wing political agenda and France’s recent election. The study relied on news articles, online data, and relevant literature to explain the topic. The findings suggested that economic inequity, the decline of democracy, immigration, multiculturalism, and opposition to the European Union were the primary factors leading to the rise of far-right politics in Europe. It was also evident that a far-right future would lead to the disintegration of liberal democracy, isolation due to nationalist policies, and cultural intolerance. Based on the findings, it was concluded that economic inequity was the driving factor, and far-right political parties were gaining momentum by proposing radical solutions to address this problem.

Could classic psychedelics influence immigrants’ acculturation process? A narrative review contemplating how

Rising international migration, paired with increasing public support for far-right political parties, poses a growing challenge to the countries tasked with successfully integrating immigrants into their society. Further complicating this matter is the fact that the acculturation process which immigrants undergo to fully integrate into their host society can be long, difficult, and taxing to their mental health, physical health, and sense of belonging. A better understanding of how the unique burdens faced by immigrants might be alleviated or more easily processed is therefore vital for the success of both immigrants and their host countries. Drawing on initial findings suggesting that classic psychedelics can help individuals process incidents of discrimination, make healthier decisions, and experience deeper feelings of connectedness to others, this literature review presents a roadmap for determining what classic psychedelics may offer immigrants, a large and rapidly growing international minority group.

Globalization and the (Re)Emergence of Europe's Far Right

Against the backdrop of a global order in flux, two emerging phenomena are of particular importance in the 21st century: deepening globalization and the re-emergence of the far right in Europe. A nuanced understanding of how the former contributes to the latter is necessary to fully appreciate what is at stake in European politics. Although both concepts are well-studied and feature prominently in the literature, there continues to be debate over their exact meanings, manifestations, and implications. Responding to these concerns, this paper highlights the contested nature of these phenomena, establishes their historical roots, and outlines their unique contemporary nature. This background is then used to more fully explore the relationship between them through four case studies, ultimately suggesting that globalization – especially its cultural and economic dimensions – has contributed to the growth of far-right political parties in Europe by challenging the identities of voters and creating perceived ‘winners and losers.’ Finally, it identifies areas where future research is needed and offers several salient questions that are critical to fully understanding the relationship between these phenomena.

Evolution of British Euroscepticism in the Second Half of the 20th Century

Introduction. The United Kingdom is the most prominent example of a Eurosceptic country in the EU. For many years the United Kingdom did not feel a part of Europe. Great Britain was geographically separated from continental Europe and psychologically distant from the European integration movement established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. The British Eurosceptic tradition rested on these geographic and psychological characteristics. Eurosceptic traditions included political, economic, linguistic, cultural and historical aspects that made it difficult for the United Kingdom to accept European integration. Methods and materials. The research methodology is based on narrative and comparative methods. The materials of the study incorporate statements of certain British politicians about attitudes towards European integration, works devoted to the analysis of Euroscepticism in the United Kingdom and manifestos of some far-right political parties. Analysis. A study of the attitude to European integration of the two main political forces of Great Britain, namely the Conservative and the Labour Parties, in the second half of the 20th century is carried out. Results. The study results in the creation of a periodization of British Euroscepticism in the second half of the 20th century. Three stages of evolution of British Euroscepticism in the period under study are distinguished: 1) the stage preceding the entry of Great Britain into the European Communities, conventionally called “Labour”; 2) the stage of the United Kingdom’s participation in the “common market”, conventionally called “Conservative”; 3) the stage of Britain’s participation in the European Union, conventionally called “Right-wing populist”. Their chronological framework is established and their main characteristics are given.

Applying the Political Marketing Model to the Far-Right Political Party Kotlebovci – People's Party Our Slovakia

Researching the political marketing of far-right parties is one of the tools for understanding their behaviour on the political spectrum. The thematic line of the article, focused on the political marketing of far-right political party from the Slovak party system, Kotlebovci – Ľudová strana Naše Slovensko (ĽSNS)/People’s Party Our Slovakia, analysed marketing strategies and marketing tools in the political campaigns of ĽSNS after parliamentary elections 2016 until today. The main objective of the article was to apply Lees-Marshment’s model of political marketing to the People’s party Our Slovakia, and find out the party's ability to change, or adapt their political product, and thus their position on the political spectrum. A modified version of the product-oriented party and the market-oriented party in one model was used to apply the political marketing model. The author analysed the available data and to evaluate them. It used statistical, sociological, and marketing data and findings from research carried out by their own content analysis of political programs and documents. An analysis focused on segmentation, targeting and positioning was used for. By applying of the model of political marketing to the political party, the paper explains the correlation between the setting of a political campaign and the profiling of the political party, in the meaning of monitoring the ability of the political party to change its political product and the ability to change its position on the political spectrum. Additionally, the paper offers too an alternative view of the study of far-right political parties’ behaviour in general.

High School Students’ Attitudes towards Migrant Youth

The appearance of unaccompanied migrant minors in our communities and the impact they have had on Spanish society, and vice-versa, is a phenomenon of outstanding educational importance, as it has brought into public awareness issues such as child vulnerability and focused our attention on the legal, social and educational policies and resources that are meant to materialise an inclusive, democratic and just society. Around these young people, mainly from the Maghreb and therefore identified with Islam, society has created an image that serves to bolster many Islamophobic, xenophobic and racist discourses emanating from the media and the ideologies of Spanish far-right political parties. This is achieved by generalising the criminal conduct of some migrant youths, by depersonalising them as human beings and by linking news about them to vicarious emotions such as mistrust and the feeling of menace. Recognising the importance of this phenomenon, in this article we present the results of a study aiming to identify and analyse the main stereotypes, attitudes and prejudices that Barcelona secondary-school students have towards unaccompanied migrant minors (MENA in their Spanish initials). To this end a questionnaire based on the Overcoming Prejudice Scale (Etxeberria, Murua, Arrieta, Garmendia & Etxeberria, 2012) was administered. Our findings showed that high-school students hold certain prejudices and stereotypes that should be tackled in order to promote the integration and inclusion of unaccompanied migrant minors and to ensure a culture of peace among young people.

Organising Australian far-right parties: Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and Fraser Anning’s Conservative National Party

ABSTRACT This paper analyses the organisation of two Australian far-right political parties: Fraser Anning’s Conservative National Party (FACNP) and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation (PHON). Based on semi-structured interviews with election candidates and office bearers and an analysis of official party documents, I examine how these parties manage their internal organisation and cope with problems of collective choice. I argue that their organisational practices are characterised by disorganisation. Namely, a lack of meaningful organisational structures and procedures, a core of socialised activists, andcoherent decision-making processes. By focusing on campaign mobilisation at the expense of party building, I argue that their disorganisation is inseparable from their muted electoral performance at the 2019 Australian federal election.

The Effect of Community Support for Far-Right Political Parties on Immigrant Employee’s Absenteeism

Both international migration and political polarization have seen widespread increases over the last decade. As immigration increases, community support for far-right political parties (and their xenophobic platforms) grows, begging the question of how a community’s support for far-right political parties affects immigrant workers who serve these communities. Integrating macro-level research from economics and political science with stereotype threat theory at the individual-level, we argue that far-right political support in the community makes negative immigrant-related stereotypes salient, affecting immigrant workers’ short-term absenteeism behavior. However, we predict that similarity to their team leader or coworkers (in terms of immigrant status) is associated with decreased short-term absenteeism because it lowers immigrant workers’ perceptions of stereotype threat. Using both field and experimental designs, we demonstrate the interplay between subordinate’s immigrant status, their similarity to fellow team members, and the political context in which they work.

Santiago Abascal’s Twitter and Instagram strategy in the 10 November 2019 General Election Campaign: A populist approach to discourse and leadership?

While the scholarly consensus is that VOX is a far-right political party in European terms, questions remain regarding whether or not its politics contain elements of populism. This research paper explores the Twitter and Instagram strategy deployed by Santiago Abascal, leader of VOX, during the 10 November 2019 general election campaign to assess whether his messaging includes characteristic features of populist rhetoric, to analyze the uses to which he puts social media, and to understand the features of the leadership he projects via social networks. The research methodology is content analysis applied to the 136 and 26 posts on Abascal’s Twitter and Instagram accounts, respectively, during the election campaign. The findings suggest that Abascal’s discourse is marked by a conservative and nativist form of Spanish nationalism; however, it is also shaped by an anti-establishment rhetoric and antagonistic message that pits la España Viva [‘Living Spain’] against la dictadura progre [‘the progressive dictatorship’], reflecting the inclusion of some features of populism. A further conclusion is that these social media platforms are the preferred propaganda tools used to communicate the candidate’s agenda, although each network evinces certain distinctive characteristics: Twitter channels a polarizing message via aggressive and critical rhetoric, whereas Instagram posts are designed to show the human side of the candidate’s profile. Thus, it would seem that the aim is to articulate a populist-inflected form of charismatic leadership.

Telegram and Digital Methods

Telegram and Digital Methods

Terror melodrama, race and the nation: Ulaa Salim’s Sons of Denmark

Ulaa film, Sons of Denmark, employs terror melodrama, an iteration of the melodramatic mode related to 9/11 that represents the nation as innocent and violated. This allows the film to raise questions about masculinity, systemic racism and white innocence in the decades-long rise of far-right political parties in Denmark.