When Ideological Fragmentation Prevents Mobilization. The Case of Right-wing Extremist Groups in Canada

In the United States and Europe, right-wing extremist groups have been on the rise. Although right-wing extremist groups have existed in Canada for decades, they are less visible and seem to encounter troubles in mobilizing. Moreover, the level of right-wing violence remains comparatively low and violence mainly targets properties. This paper analyses this under-studied phenomenon in a context where anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim discourses are on the rise. Based on extensive fieldwork in four Canadian provinces (Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia), we show that the high degree of ideological fragmentation, strong volatility of groups and strong competition between groups prevents large-scale mobilization. While most of these groups voice an anti-immigration discourse in the public sphere, they disagree on how to define immigrants and how to delimit their own identity. In this context, violence remains primarily used within groups or, in certain circumstances, against those identified as “hereditary enemies”, left-wing militants.