Modelling Trans-National Diffusion Mechanisms Between West European Far Right Parties: Introducing a Three-Step Model

Far right party literature is very variable-oriented and often assumes developmental independence between parties. Since cross-country far right party developments might not be that independent (i.e. Galton's autocorrelation problem), this paper introduces the concept of diffusion. It provides a three-step model that identifies and includes the importance of master frame adoption and diffusion as a process. First it proposes a master frame change model, based on utility functions, which analyses when and why far right parties change their master frame. Secondly it proposes a theoretical framework for trans-national diffusion and its constructs, which then provides an indication of how one master frame decision can be influenced by another, i.e. how adoption decisions are interdependent. Lastly, the paper discusses the different adoption dynamics and how and if it is possible to aggregate these individual level decisions. This three-step model will provide a theoretical foundation as to why diffusion should be included in the explanatory frameworks for far right party development.