Rejection or Cooperation? The Image of Islam in the Alternative for Germany and the New Right – A Comparison

This contribution presents a comparative analysis of the images of Islam by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and prominent intellectuals of the New Right, as reflected in the magazine Sezession. The objective of this study is twofold: Firstly, to identify differences in the portrayal of Islam, and secondly, to gain insight into the relationship between the party and its ideological forefield using the example of Islamophobia. Our research draws on theoretical frameworks concerning the relationship between the far right and Islam: While right-wing populist actors often frame their Islamophobia in “civilizationist” terms, the New Right’s relationship appears to be more ambivalent. Like right-wing populists, New Right actors position themselves against a supposed "Islamisation”, but some also perceive conservative Muslims as potential allies in the fight against liberal modernity and the "Westernisation" of Germany. Our research design is centered on the analysis of parliamentary speeches held by members of the AfD, their party manifestos, and on articles published in the magazine Sezession. To disentangle the discursive complexity and to examine the rhetorical similarities and differences between the AfD and actors of the New Right with regard to their perception and interpretation of Islam, a discourse network analysis will be employed. We expect differences in the justifications of Islamophobia and the approaches to deal with Islam between the AfD and New Right actors. Despite ideological and personal overlaps, we argue that potential differences may be explained by different ideological backgrounds as well as by the distinct functional logic of the two actors.