In person icon Far-Right Mobilization: From the Margins to the Mainstream

Abstract

In the fourth wave of post-war far right, far-right movements and parties have entered the mainstream political landscape, are being integrated into the mainstream political landscape, and are increasingly blurring the boundaries between electoral and protest arenas. The dynamics of far-right mobilization have played a pivotal role in this transformation by introducing key issues to the political agenda, mobilizing networks of activists, reshaping political discourse and strategy, and legitimizing far-right ideas. While much research on the far right has focused on the party sector, this panel seeks to shed light on the characteristics of far-right mobilization, with particular focus on the interactions between far-right movements and parties, their repertoires of contention, organizational hybrids, online and offline networks of far-right activists, and activists’ identity-building mechanisms. Particular attention will be paid to the effects that the emergence of movement parties has on mainstream parties and the party arena, driving party actors to adjust their strategy, policies and rhetoric to the practices and repertoires of far-right movements and movement parties. We invite contributions that will delve into the following questions: •What strategies do far-right collective actors employ in the protest arena? •How do far-right movements and parties and movement-parties interact with their political opponents? •What frames dominate far-right discourse? •What issues do far-right actors bring to the political agenda? •How has the far-right ecosystem gained legitimacy in the public sphere? •How do far-right ideas become normalized and influence mainstream political debates? Addressing these and related questions can deepen our understanding of how far-right protest and electoral mobilization affect liberal democracies. The panel comprises papers that foster a well-structured conceptual and methodological debate on ideological variations among far-right actors engaging within protest and electoral arenas, examine the distinctive characteristics of far-right mobilization, and explore the mechanisms behind the diffusion of far-right ideas. We welcome both comparative analyses across countries and single case studies that provide insights from European and non-European contexts.

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