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Filling the Empty Quadrant?

Cleavages
Extremism
Political Competition
Political Parties
Voting
P144
Eelco Harteveld
University of Amsterdam
Erika Van Elsas
Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen

Building: Jean-Brillant, Floor: 2, Room: B-2305

Thursday 11:00 - 12:40 EDT (27/08/2015)

Abstract

It is well-established that a sizeable group of voters combines economically left-wing with culturally conservative views. Although numerous, voters holding this combination of attitudes are generally ill-represented by parties. As a result, a pro-welfare nativist stance has been described as the Radical Right’s ‘new winning formula’. Indeed, case studies have documented several Radical Right parties’ adoption of such stances. Researchers have also suggested that Radical Left parties have, too, discovered this quadrant. As a result, Radical Right and Radical Left parties could increasingly find themselves on common ground. At the same time, research on many of these developments remains incomplete, and several important questions unanswered. Two main topics stand out. First, who’s in, and who’s out? Which parties are moving towards more left-conservative positions, and what forces determine whether they do? Relatedly, what is the background of voters holding such attitudes? Can they be described by existing social cleavages, such as those between winners and losers of globalization? Relatedly, are parties merely following voters, or actively shaping the political arena? Secondly, what are the implications for the dimensional space? Should we interpret the left-conservative quadrant as representing one pole of a new conflict dimension (for instance based on denationalization, European integration, or risk vs opportunity)? In that light, studies about the opposing quadrant (combining economically right-wing and progressive attitudes) are highly relevant as well. It is also possible that the dimensions are stable, and that we are merely witnessing a shift in salience of the cultural dimension. After all, it has been suggested that the share of ‘working class authoritarian’ voters has always been sizeable. We bring together contributions that advance our understanding of these issues by studying voters, parties, or their interplay.

Title Details
The Rationale behind Exclusive Solidarity: Explaining Radical Right Parties’ Support for the Welfare State View Paper Details
The Role of Pessimism in Radical (Right) Voting View Paper Details
Back or To The Future? The Diverging EU-Attitudes of Voters for Left- and Right-Wing Eurosceptical Parties, 1989-2014 View Paper Details