“There is no doubt in my mind that by far the most important and effective element of Channel is mentoring.” “The main reason I left the far right was because of my mentor’s guidance.” (Jack, former Prevent referral) Every year in the UK, Prevent helps hundreds of people leave extremist ideologies behind and walk a… Continue reading “Mentoring the radical right: talking to a Channel referral and his mentor”
The radical right has been small, fractious yet persistent in nearly a century of activism at the furthest reaches of the right-wing spectrum. As this collection of primary source documents makes plain, moreover, there are also a number of surprising elements in British fascism that were not observed elsewhere. While there had long been exclusionary,… Continue reading “The Radical Right in Britain”
In recent years radical right actors – which encompasses nativist, authoritarian and populist political movements; both in the global north and parts of the south – are never too far from the headlines. Whether it is the atrocities that took place in Christchurch in March or the hype surrounding Matteo Salvini’s recently announced grouping in… Continue reading “The Rise of the Radical Right: Reflections on the Role of Academics in Tracking Emerging Developments”
Conspiracy theories have frequently played a significant role in radical right ideologies, narratives, and agendas. In recent years, conspiracism linked to the radical right has made a striking and often deadly comeback. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump peppered his rally speeches with conspiracist claims, such as the assertion that Barack Obama founded ISIS.… Continue reading “The Hydra of Suspicion: Conspiracy Theories and the Radical Right”
Accusations of irrationalism, leveled against those in favor of climate change policies, make up the single most prominent argument. Research on climate change communication by radical-right actors, be they party or non-party, anti-liberal or anti-democratic, is still in its infancy. Indeed, so far only a few cases have been systematically analyzed in detail (for example,… Continue reading “What the Radical Right Thinks About Climate Change”
In banning the far right from its platform, Facebook acted like a responsible media provider. In April, Facebook announced its decision to “ban” 12 UK-based individuals and organizations linked to the radical right. Arguing that each sought to “spread hate,” Facebook explained that the decision was made on the basis that all were “individuals and organisations who… Continue reading “In Defense of Facebook’s “Ban” of the Far Right’s Dirty Dozen”
Countering five common myths promoted by the radical right, from anti-semitic conspiracy theories to political correctness. Britain, as a liberal democracy, clearly has free speech. Yet, there is a distinction between people using free speech to express themselves and inciting hatred and violence to others. The latter is something which governments have every right to… Continue reading “Radical-right narratives and how to counter them”
In 2015, the Liberal Party of Canada won a resounding victory at the federal elections, claiming almost 40 per cent of the vote share. Its leader, now Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau stood on a platform of liberal principles. He publicly championed the plight of refugees and immigrants, supported a woman’s right to wear a niqab… Continue reading “‘A bastion of liberal values’? The rise of the radical right in Canada”
Attacking the symptom (i.e., the populist radical right) is not going to do the trick – not in Spain, not in the rest of (western) Europe. Last week’s parliamentary election marked a turning point in post-Franco Spanish politics. For the first time since Spain’s transition to democracy in the late 1970s, a party clearly… Continue reading “Saviours of the nation? – on the breakthrough of the radical populist right in Spain”
What is behind the shift in norms around racism and the politics of immigration in recent decades? Although many are focused on the daily onslaught against norms under the current US president, from a broader perspective, norms around issues of race and the politics of immigration have clearly shifted since I began studying the radical… Continue reading “The Shifting Norms that Threaten Our Democracy”