Extremism in Extreme Times: Moving Beyond the Mainstream

Today, in much of the world the far right is resolutely mainstreamed. As a pathological normalcy of democracy, this section studies far-right politics as native to - and not intruders upon - liberal democracy. With this as a starting point, we offer scholars a forum to analyse the diverse - and culturally dependent - pathways of mainstreaming, and the current autocratisation and escalating tension from radical and extreme individuals, groups, and parties. This continuing normalisation process enables far right ideologies to permeate broader political discourses, often reshaping public opinion and framing societal narratives. Radical, as well as populist, actors push for reforms, mobilise street protest and gain traction in electoral arenas. The issues at hand also become ever more globalised while they impact the lives and safety of minorities locally. This hostility manifests in various forms, from verbal harassment to violent confrontations, often exacerbated by state-sanctioned rhetoric - or policies - that vilify vulnerable groups. This section aims to highlight issues radical groups coalesce around. To this end, this section’s approach does not treat issues like misogyny and transphobia as inventions of the far right but neither as an afterthought to radical projects. Rather, they are amplifying age-old prejudices in ways that resonate with contemporary anxieties and hostile currents throughout societies. This framing allows for a better understanding of how these ideologies are not merely reactions to societal changes but integral components of the political landscape. The section focuses on how the intersection of misogyny and transphobia creates a potent dynamic that fuels hostile narratives, demonstrating how these biases can be weaponised to mobilise support and legitimise exclusionary practices. These developments - as well as the undermining of organisations of the international community - further entrench these divisions, reducing the capacity for collective action and dialogue. Beyond the visible manifestations of far-right normalisation, this section also examines its effects on democratic institutions, political contestation, and resistance movements. We can observe processes of autocratisation in several countries, from Hungary to Poland, from the United Kingdom to the United States. Radical movements and parties are on the rise, while progressive policies are continuously rolled back, sparking resistance from left-wing parties and movements. However, these reactions are often fragmented, facing challenges in uniting diverse groups around a common agenda. This section investigates how the far right’s normalisation and the ensuing fragmentation of resistance movements contribute to the reconfiguration of democratic politics today. Furthermore, it is important to consider how different actors engage in concert with one another, and the intricate ways in which radical, populist, and extremist mobilisations are interconnected. This intersection of a variety of actors – for example political influencers, active clubs, street movements, interest groups, and political parties – prompt new research questions about whether and how digital and analogue, local, national, and global issues transform into action, strategies, court rulings, and policies, as well as how they affect one-another. Scholars are invited to propose papers and panels that offer new perspectives and address the themes outlined below. Preference will be given to innovative panels that reflect the diversity of the ECPR research community in terms of career stage, gender, ethnicity, and regional expertise. We also aim to ensure strong participation from early-career scholars. Moreover, we particularly welcome insights from regions beyond Europe and the United States. Potential themes might include: Considering extremism in times of illiberalism: How does extremism, particularly right-wing extremism look in a hybrid and/or non-democratic regime? What happens to right-wing extremism in a country where the far right is already in parliamentary power? What can consolidated illiberal regimes teach us about emerging illiberal regimes across national contexts? Critical approaches to ‘the mainstream’: What does mainstreaming and normalisation of the far right mean in 2026? How does today’s far right seek power and platform given their consolidation of power and their large platform? Gender: How do these discourses draw on and radicalize widely accepted discourses on masculinity, femininity, and gender roles more generally? What is the role and function of transphobia in the contemporary far right? In what ways do the far right’s gendered and racialised rhetorics intersect? The electoral arena: How have ‘opposition’ political parties responded to the success of populist radical right parties? Who supports populist radical right parties? How have such parties gained popularity? Digital configurations: How does the far right make use of the digital sphere? In what ways do the affordances of social media platforms help or hinder the far right’s digital life? How can we understand the diverse, dynamic, and shifting online life of the far right beyond the claims of all far right content being about ‘normalisation’ and mainstreaming? Social movement organisation: How is the contemporary far right organised? What can ethnographic methods reveal about the internal organisation of far right groups? To what extent can social movement theory help us understand the far right’s consolidation of power? Culture and ‘everyday extremism’: Where and how do far right ideas take root in everyday spaces? How is far right culture produced by, or possibly challenged by, those who are not necessarily ‘activists’? Responses to / from grassroots and beyond: How are grassroots actors or political parties challenging the extreme in times of extremism? What civil society strategies are being developed to contest this hegemony? When do they succeed? When do they fail? Transnationalism: How do far right movements, ideas, and actors navigate the contradictions and opportunities of radical nationalism’s transnationalism? What various forms do common discourses across the far right take in various national contexts? How do far-right actors react to international crises such as the wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and COVID-19? Ethics and Researcher Safety: What can academic institutions do to protect researcher safety? How do researchers handle the emotional labour of studying racist, violent, gendered content produced by the far right? What ethical dilemmas are specific to, and shared by, the various methods used by researchers to study these actors?