The Mechanisms of Nationalist Resistance: Radical Left- and Right-Wing Parties in Greece at Times of Crisis

Nationalism is often associated with the right. However, contrary to common wisdom, this paper argues that nationalism is a core element of the discourse of both radical right and radical left parties. Although theoretically nationalism is perceived as incompatible to the values and principles of the radical left, in practice both party families draw on a discourse of the nation, either ethnic or civic. This paper focus on the case of Greece, and its response to the eurozone crisis. It empirically analyses the nationalist rhetoric put forward by radical parties of both the right and the left, and contends that nationalism serves as a mechanism of resistance and as such provides the common denominator of left and right-wing protest at times of crisis. Although the right and the left are divided on domestic issues, they are united by drawing upon a common cultural reservoir and a resistance based on nationalism.