| Block | Date | Theme | Content | Key Actors | Key literature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 2025-04-24 | 1. Overview | Mudde | ||
| 2025-05-01 | 2. Far-right ideology | Ideological traits (nativism, authoritarianism, populism, anti-egalitarianism, etc.); group ideology | intellectuals; ideologues; activists | Virchow | |
| Far-right parties | 2025-05-08 | 3. Radical and extreme parties | radical vs. extreme politics in rhetoric, policy, behaviour | parties; party leaders | Mudde; Minkenberg |
| 2025-05-15 | 4. Party representatives | Politicians that represent far-right parties; gender elements | parties; party members | Weeks et al.; Mayer | |
| 2025-05-22 | 5. Party voters | Voting behaviour for far right, social and economic characteristics | parties; voters; party constituents | Rydgren; Bornschier et al. | |
| 2025-05-29 | 6. Responses and counter-strategies | Party competition and inter-party dynamics | parties; party leaders; party members | Art; Heinze | |
| Far-right movements | 2025-06-05 | 7. Movement-parties | Connecting electoral politics to street politics | movement-parties | Pirro and Gattinara |
| 2025-06-12 | 8. Mobilisation and movements | Social movement organisations (SMOs); political opportunities; discursive opportunities | movements; movement organisations; mobilising networks | Koopmans; Gattinara and Pirro | |
| 2025-06-19 | 9. Counter-mobilisation | Non-far-right movement responses; strategies, tactics; opposing movement characteristics | movements; movement organisations; campaigns | Mayer; Copsey | |
| 2025-06-26 | 10. Demobilisation | external pressures (social control); internal pressures (individual- and group-level) | movements; movement organisations; campaigns | Gaudette et al.; Morrow and Meadowcroft | |
| Individuals in the far right | 2025-07-03 | 11. Radicalisation | radicalisation, deradicalisation, engagement, disengagement | individuals; activists | della Porta; Jensen et al. |
| 2025-07-10 | 12. Violence | Characteristics of far-right violence, individual- and group-based | terrorists; violent activists; hooligans; movement members | Ravndal; Manthe | |
| 2025-07-17 | 13. Online | Social media platforms; transnationalisation; counterspeech | individuals; platform users | Zhang; Saltman et al. | |
| Studying the far right | 2025-07-24 | 14. Methods, ethics, and safety | Ethnography, measurement, research | researchers; research participants | Blee |
Schedule
Holidays: 1 May (Class 2), 29 May (Class 6), and 19 June (Class 9) are all holidays. Class slides will be made available for these days
Course outline and readings
PART I - What is ‘far right’?
In the first sessions of the course we will focus on establishing the conceptual basis for studying the far right. This begins with understanding that ‘far right’ is a contested term used to describe an indeterminate and diverse set of cases. We will look at how research (and by extension, law and policy) has variously defined far right. We will look at the ideology that serves to motivate organisations and actors we encounter later in the course. This part will help students to evaluate published work on far-right politics and protest, and to situate their own research within relevant conceptual frameworks.
Class 1 - Concepts
Required reading
- Mudde C (2007). “Constructing a Conceptual Framework.” In Populist, Radical Right Parties in Europe, 11-31. Cambridge University Press,, Cambridge. ISBN 978-0-511-49203-7, doi:10.5860/choice.48-1788, https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.48-1788.
Reading file
Class 2 - Far-right ideology: from transnational traits to local idiosyncracies
Required reading
- Virchow F (2007). “Performance, Emotion, and Ideology: On the Creation, of”Collectives of Emotion” and Worldview in the Contemporary German, Far Right.” Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 36(2), 147-164., ISSN 08912416, doi:10.1177/0891241606298822, https://doi.org/10.1177/0891241606298822.
Reading file
PART II - Far-right political parties
In this set of class sessions, we will focus on far-right political parties. What makes a party radical right as opposed to extreme right? (Is this even a useful distinction?) Who represents, leads far-right parties, and in what way? Who votes for them and why? And how do other political actors respond to far-right parties? These are all questions that we will grapple with in this portion of the course.
Class 3 - Parties: radical and extreme
Required reading
- Minkenberg M (2013). “From Pariah to Policy-Maker? The Radical Right in, Europe, West and East: Between Margin and Mainstream.” Journal of, Contemporary European Studies, 21(1), 5-24. ISSN 14782804,, doi:10.1080/14782804.2013.766473, https://doi.org/10.1080/14782804.2013.766473.
Reading file
- Mudde C (2007). “From Conceptualization to Classification: Which, Parties?” In Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe, 32-60., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ISBN 978-0-511-49203-7,, doi:10.1017/cbo9780511492037.003, https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511492037.003.
Reading file
Further reading
- Karácsony G, Róna D (2011). “The Secret of Jobbik - Reasons behind the, Rise of the Hungarian Radical Right.” Journal of East European and, Asian Studies, 2(1), 61-92.
Reading file
- Ernst N, Engesser S, Büchel F, Blassnig S, Esser F (2017). “Extreme, Parties and Populism: An Analysis of Facebook and Twitter across Six, Countries.” Information Communication and Society, 20(9),, 1347-1364. ISSN 14684462, doi:10.1080/1369118X.2017.1329333, https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2017.1329333.
Reading file
Class 4 - Parties: representatives
Required reading
- Weeks AC, Meguid BM, Kittilson MC, Coffé H (2022). “When Do, Männerparteien Elect Women? Radical Right Populist Parties and, Strategic Descriptive Representation.” American Political Science, Review, 1-18. ISSN 0003-0554, doi:10.1017/s0003055422000107, https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003055422000107.
Reading file
Further reading
- Mayer N (2022). “The Impact of Gender on Votes for the Populist Radical, Rights: Marine Le Pen vs. Eric Zemmour.” Modern & Contemporary, France, 1-16. ISSN 0963-9489, 1469-9869,, doi:10.1080/09639489.2022.2134328, https://doi.org/10.1080/09639489.2022.2134328, <2022-11-04>.
Class 5 - Parties: voters
Required reading
- Bornschier S, Häusermann S, Zollinger D, Colombo C (2021). “How
Us'', andThem’’ Relates to Voting Behavior-Social Structure, Social, Identities, and Electoral Choice.” Comparative Political Studies,, 0(0), 1-36. ISSN 0010-4140, doi:10.1177/0010414021997504, https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414021997504.
Reading file
- Lucassen G, Lubbers M (2012). “Who Fears What? Explaining, Far-Right-Wing Preference in Europe by Distinguishing Perceived, Cultural and Economic Ethnic Threats.” Comparative Political Studies,, 45(5), 547-574. ISSN 0010-4140, doi:10.1177/0010414011427851, https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414011427851.
Reading file
- Rydgren J (2009). “Social Isolation? Social Capital and Radical, Right-wing Voting in Western Europe.” Journal of Civil Society,, 5(2), 129-150. ISSN 1744-8689, doi:10.1080/17448680903154915, https://doi.org/10.1080/17448680903154915.
Reading file
Further reading
- Allen TJ (2017). “All in the Party Family? Comparing Far Right Voters, in Western and Post-Communist Europe.” Party Politics, 23(3),, 274-285. ISSN 1354-0688, doi:10.1177/1354068815593457, https://doi.org/10.1177/1354068815593457.
Reading file
- Amengay A, Stockemer D (2018). “The Radical Right in Western Europe: A, Meta-Analysis of Structural Factors.” Political Studies Review,, 147892991877797. ISSN 1478-9299, doi:10.1177/1478929918777975, https://doi.org/10.1177/1478929918777975.
Reading file
- Berbuir N, Lewandowsky M, Siri J (2015). “The AfD and Its Sympathisers:, Finally a Right-Wing Populist Movement in Germany?” German Politics,, 24(2), 157-178. ISSN 17438993, doi:10.1080/09644008.2014.982546, https://doi.org/10.1080/09644008.2014.982546.
Reading file
- Van Hiel A (2012). “A Psycho-Political Profile of Party Activists and, Left-Wing and Right-Wing Extremists.” European Journal of Political, Research, 51(2), 166-203. ISSN 03044130,, doi:10.1111/j.1475-6765.2011.01991.x, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6765.2011.01991.x.
Reading file
Class 6 - Parties: responses and counter-strategies
Required reading
- Art D (2007). “Reacting to the Radical Right.” Party Politics,, 13(3), 331-349. ISSN 1354-0688, doi:10.1177/1354068807075939, https://doi.org/10.1177/1354068807075939.
Reading file
- Bourne A, Veugelers J (2022). “Militant Democracy and Successors to, Authoritarian Ruling Parties in Post-1945 West Germany and Italy.”, Democratization, 29(4), 736-753. ISSN 1743890X,, doi:10.1080/13510347.2021.2012160, https://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2021.2012160.
Reading file
- Heinze A (2018). “Strategies of Mainstream Parties towards Their, Right-Wing Populist Challengers: Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland in, Comparison.” West European Politics, 41(2), 287-309. ISSN, 0140-2382, doi:10.1080/01402382.2017.1389440, https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2017.1389440.
Reading file
Further reading
- Allchorn W (2019). Anti-Islamic Protest in the UK: Policy Responses to, the Far Right. Routledge, Abingdon. ISBN 978-1-138-29963-4.
- Mayer N (1995). “The Dynamics of the Anti-Front National, Countermovement.” French Politics and Society, 13(4), 12-32.
Reading file
PART III - Far-right movements
In this set of class sessions, we will shift our focus from political parties to movement actors. To make this transition, we consider the liminal cases that are often called ‘movement-parties’ and, more broadly, consider the relationship between far-right movements and aligned parties. In the sphere of social mobilisation and movement activism, how does far-right activity manifest? Are far-right movements akin to other social movements or some sui generis category? How do other movement actors respond to the far right and to what effect? And why and how do far-right movements falter, fail, and demobilise? These questions take us into a dynamic and highly active field of contemporary research.
Class 7 - Movement-parties
Required reading
- Colombo F, Ferrara A, Vassou F, Bernardi F, Dinas E (2021). “From the, Streets to the Voting Booth: The Electoral Effect of Grassroots, Mobilization Against the Far-Right.” European University Institute,, Firenze.
Reading file
- Pirro ALP, Castelli Gattinara P (2018). “Movement Parties of the Far, Right: The Organization and Strategies of Nativist Collective Actors.”, Mobilization: An International Quarterly, 23(3), 367-383. ISSN, 1086-671X, doi:10.17813/1086-671X-23-3-367, https://doi.org/10.17813/1086-671X-23-3-367.
Reading file
Further reading
- Berntzen LE, Weisskircher M (2016). “Anti-Islamic PEGIDA Beyond, Germany: Explaining Differences in Mobilisation.” Journal of, Intercultural Studies, 37(6), 556-573. ISSN 14699540,, doi:10.1080/07256868.2016.1235021, https://doi.org/10.1080/07256868.2016.1235021.
Reading file
- Weisskircher M, Berntzen LE (2019). “Remaining on the Streets., Anti-Islamic PEGIDA Mobilization and Its Relationship to Far-right, Party Politics.” In Caiani M, Cisar O (eds.), Radical Right ‘Movement, Parties’ in Europe. Routledge, Abingdon.
Reading file
Class 8 - Mobilisation and movements
Required reading
- Castelli Gattinara P, Pirro AL (2019). “The Far Right as Social, Movement.” European Societies, 21(4), 447-462. ISSN 14698307,, doi:10.1080/14616696.2018.1494301, https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2018.1494301.
Reading file
- Giugni M, Koopmans R, Passy F, Statham P (2005). “Institutional and, Discursive Opportunities for Extreme-Right Mobilization in Five, Countries.” Mobilization: An International Quarterly, 10(1),, 145-162. ISSN 1086-671X.
Reading file
Further reading
- Koopmans R, Rucht D (1995). “Social Movement Mobilization Under Right, and Left Governments: A Look at Four West European Countries.” Das, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung, Berlin.
Reading file
- Chermak S, Freilich J, Suttmoeller M (2013). “The Organizational, Dynamics of Far-Right Hate Groups in the United States: Comparing, Violent to Nonviolent Organizations.” Studies in Conflict &, Terrorism, 36(3), 193-218. doi:10.1080/1057610X.2013.755912, https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2013.755912.
Reading file
Class 9 - Counter-mobilisation
Required reading
- Copsey N, Merrill S (2020). “Violence and Restraint within Antifa: A, View from the United States.” Perspectives on Terrorism, 14(6),, 122-138.
Reading file
- Mayer N (1995). “The Dynamics of the Anti-Front National, Countermovement.” French Politics and Society, 13(4), 12-32.
Reading file
Further reading
- Copsey N (2018). “Militant Antifascism: An Alternative (Historical), Reading.” Society, 55(3), 243-247. ISSN 01472011,, doi:10.1007/s12115-018-0245-y, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-018-0245-y.
Reading file
- LaFree G (2018). “Is Antifa a Terrorist Group?” Society, 55(3),, 248-252. ISSN 01472011, doi:10.1007/s12115-018-0246-x, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-018-0246-x.
Reading file
Class 10 - Movement decline, failure, and demobilisation
Required reading
- Bleich E, Lambert F (2013). “Why Are Racist Associations Free in Some, States and Banned in Others? Evidence from 10 Liberal Democracies.”, West European Politics, 36(1), 122-149. ISSN 01402382,, doi:10.1080/01402382.2013.742754, https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2013.742754.
Reading file
- Gaudette T, Scrivens R, Venkatesh V (2022). “Disengaged but Still, Radical? Pathways Out of Violent Right-Wing Extremism.” Terrorism and, Political Violence, 00(00), 1-26. ISSN 0954-6553,, doi:10.1080/09546553.2022.2082288, https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2022.2082288.
Reading file
- Morrow EA, Meadowcroft J (2018). “The Rise and Fall of the English, Defence League: Self-Governance, Marginal Members and the Far Right.”, Political Studies, 67(3), 539-556. ISSN 0032-3217,, doi:10.1177/0032321718777907, https://doi.org/10.1177/0032321718777907.
Reading file
Further reading
- Zeller MC (2021). “Patterns of Demobilization: A Qualitative, Comparative Analysis (QCA) of Far-Right Demonstration Campaigns.”, Mobilization: An International Quarterly, 26(3), 267-284., doi:10.17813/1086-671X-26-3-267, https://doi.org/10.17813/1086-671X-26-3-267.
Reading file
- Zeller MC (2022). “Demobilising Far-Right Demonstration Campaigns:, Coercive Counter-Mobilisation, State Social Control, and the, Demobilisation of the Hess Gedenkmarsch Campaign.” Social Movement, Studies, 21(3), 372-390. doi:10.1080/14742837.2021.1889493, https://doi.org/10.1080/14742837.2021.1889493.
Reading file
PART IV - Radicalisation, violence, and online far-right activity
In this penultimate set of classes, we will look at more extreme instances of far-right behaviour. How do individuals become involved in far-right activity? What violent manifestations arise from radicalisation into right-wing extremism? And how have new modes of communication and relation on the Internet effected far-right activity? These questions, these classes take up some of the most menacing aspects of the far right and consider whether online tools have significantly changed the conditions of far-right activity.
Class 11 - Radicalisation
Required reading
- Jensen MA, Seate AA, James PA (2018). “Radicalization to Violence: A, Pathway Approach to Studying Extremism Radicalization to Violence.”, Terrorism and Political Violence, 1-24. ISSN 0954-6553,, doi:10.1080/09546553.2018.1442330, https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2018.1442330.
Reading file
- Schils N, Verhage A (2017). “Understanding How and Why Young People, Enter Radical or Violent Extremist Groups.” International Journal of, Conflict and Violence, 11, 1-17. ISSN 18641385,, doi:10.4119/UNIBI/ijcv.473 https://doi.org/10.4119/UNIBI/ijcv.473.
Reading file
Further reading
- della Porta D (2018). “Radicalization: A Relational Perspective.”, Annual Review of Sociology, 21, 461-474., doi:10.1146/annurev-polisci-042716, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-042716.
Reading file
- Vergani M, Iqbal M, Ilbahar E, Barton G (2018). “The Three Ps of, Radicalization: Push , Pull and Personal. A Systematic Scoping Review, of the Scientific Evidence about Radicalization Into Violent, Extremism.” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 0(0), 1-32. ISSN, 1057-610X, doi:10.1080/1057610X.2018.1505686, https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2018.1505686.
Reading file
Class 12 - Violence
Required reading
- Manthe B (2021). “On the Pathway to Violence: West German Right-Wing, Terrorism in the 1970s.” Terrorism and Political Violence, 33(1),, 49-70. ISSN 15561836, doi:10.1080/09546553.2018.1520701, https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2018.1520701.
Reading file
- Ravndal JA (2018). “Explaining Right-Wing Terrorism and Violence in, Western Europe: Grievances, Opportunities and Polarisation.” European, Journal of Political Research, 57(4), 845-866. ISSN 14756765,, doi:10.1111/1475-6765.12254 https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6765.12254.
Reading file
Further reading
- Adamczyk A, Gruenewald J, Chermak SM, Freilich JD (2014). “The, Relationship Between Hate Groups and Far-Right Ideological Violence.”, Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 30(3), 310-332. ISSN, 15525406, doi:10.1177/1043986214536659, https://doi.org/10.1177/1043986214536659.
Reading file
- Fahey S, Simi P (2019). “Pathways to Violent Extremism: A Qualitative, Comparative Analysis of the US Far-Right.” Dynamics of Asymmetric, Conflict, 12(1), 42-66. ISSN 1746-7586,, doi:10.1080/17467586.2018.1551558, https://doi.org/10.1080/17467586.2018.1551558.
Reading file
- Koopmans R, Olzak S (2004). “Discursive Opportunities and the Evolution, of Right-Wing Violence in Germany.” American Journal of Sociology,, 110(1), 198-230. ISSN 0002-9602, doi:10.1086/386271, https://doi.org/10.1086/386271.
Reading file
- Meadowcroft J, Morrow EA (2017). “Violence, Self-Worth, Solidarity and, Stigma: How a Dissident, Far-Right Group Solves the Collective Action, Problem.” Political Studies, 65(2), 373-390., doi:10.1177/0032321716651654, https://doi.org/10.1177/0032321716651654.
Reading file
- Ravndal JA, Bjørgo T (2018). “Investigating Terrorism from the Extreme, Right: A Review of Past and Present Research.” Perspectives on, Terrorism, 12(6), 5-22. ISSN 23343745.
Reading file
Class 13 - Online
Required reading
- Ernst N, Engesser S, Büchel F, Blassnig S, Esser F (2017). “Extreme, Parties and Populism: An Analysis of Facebook and Twitter across Six, Countries.” Information Communication and Society, 20(9),, 1347-1364. ISSN 14684462, doi:10.1080/1369118X.2017.1329333, https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2017.1329333.
Reading file
- Zhang X, Davis M (2022). “E-Extremism: A Conceptual Framework for, Studying the Online Far Right.” new media, 1-17.
Reading file
Further reading
- Caiani M, Kröll P (2015). “The Transnationalization of the Extreme, Right and the Use of the Internet.” International Journal of, Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 39(4), 331-351. ISSN, 21576475, doi:10.1080/01924036.2014.973050, https://doi.org/10.1080/01924036.2014.973050.
Reading file
- Saltman E, Kooti F, Vockery K (2021). “New Models for Deploying, Counterspeech: Measuring Behavioral Change and Sentiment Analysis.”, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 0(0), 1-24. ISSN 15210731,, doi:10.1080/1057610X.2021.1888404, https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2021.1888404.
Reading file
- Simpson PA (2016). “Mobilizing Meanings: Translocal Identities of the, Far Right Web.” German Politics and Society, 34(4), 34-53. ISSN, 15585441, doi:10.3167/gps.2016.340403, https://doi.org/10.3167/gps.2016.340403.
Reading file
PART V - Studying the far right
In our final course sessions, we draw together the preceding parts of the course to consider how to study far-right phenomena. This consideration goes beyond components of theory, data, methods, and analysis; it extends to thornier issues of ethics and safety. By concluding with these topics, the course will create a space for students to consider how they might conduct their own research into the far right.
Class 14 - Studying the far right: methods, ethics, and safety
Required reading
- Blee KM (2007). “Ethnographies of the Far Right.” Journal of, Contemporary Ethnography, 36(2), 119-128. ISSN 08912416,, doi:10.1177/0891241606298815, https://doi.org/10.1177/0891241606298815.
Reading file
- Hutter S (2014). “Globalization and the Integration-Demarcation, Cleavage.” In Protesting Culture and Economics in Western Europe: New, Cleavages in Left and Right Politics, 3-24. University of Minnesota, Press, Minneapolis. doi:10.5749/minnesota/9780816691180.003.0001, https://doi.org/10.5749/minnesota/9780816691180.003.0001.
Reading file
Further reading
- Blee KM (1998). “White-Knuckle Research: Emotional Dynamics in, Fieldwork with Racist Activists.” Qualitative Sociology, 21(4),, 381-399. ISSN 15737837, doi:10.1023/A:1023328309725, https://doi.org/10.1023/A%3A1023328309725.
Reading file
- Meijers MJ, Zaslove A (2021). “Measuring Populism in Political Parties:, Appraisal of a New Approach.” Comparative Political Studies, 54(2),, 372-407. ISSN 15523829, doi:10.1177/0010414020938081, https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414020938081.
Reading file