Uncivil Society Revisited

Abstract

The rise of populism around Europe is accompanied by an increasing salience of uncivil society – a broad spectrum of more (or less) marginal radical groups on the right and the left. What unites these groups is the opposition to the liberal democracy and its principal components (political pluralism, minority rights, gender equality to name a few). Moreover, while these groups remain politically marginalized, their influence on political discourse is increasing. Uncivil groups often oppose the project of European integration. This panel revisits key arguments in the book by Petr Kopecky and Cas Mudde’s Uncivil Society: Contentious Politics in Post-Communist Europe, by broadening the scope of the investigation. The panel discusses a broad spectrum of radical right groups and focuses on the ideas put forward by uncivil society as an alternative to the liberal democracy. It also explores mobilization of the uncivil society, the interaction between the uncivil society and radical and mainstream political parties.