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The Far Right in Europe

Module description

Since the end of the 1990s, far right parties have enjoyed significant electoral gains across the European continent. In combination with the electoral shrinkage of mainstream parties in various ideological nuances, increasing far right support generates fears and challenges for the democratic legitimacy and stability Europe has enjoyed in the post-war era. The module will introduce you to the study of the far right in European politics. It will examine historical antecedents and contemporary aspects of the far right phenomenon. We will analyse social, economic and cultural shifts that create demand for the far right vote and policies. We will delve into conditions of supply that facilitate a far right presence and its success, such as institutional parameters, political opportunities, organizational build-up of parties, the impact of the media and political engagement via social movements. You will relate the far right to representation, electorates, parties, civil society, policies and politics dynamics. The module is empirical, but includes some positive theory, i.e. theories that aim to explain why people behave as they do. The aim of each topic is to assess the evidence for competing explanations of particular features of the far right phenomenon. You will learn methodological issues on the study of the far right. The module largely deals with contemporary societies and recent developments, but appreciation of historical developments is often useful to understand these. The module is also comparative, with the readings drawn from research on countries of Western Europe.

No prior knowledge skills or experience are required to take this module and it is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students. The module is only suitable for students studying Politics.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module provides you with the opportunity to learn about and appraise theories used in the explanation of the rise of the far right. This will help you to learn about and reflect on the drivers of the social and cultural basis of voting behaviour, social and political attitudes, processes of political engagement and competition.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate a good understanding of historical antecedents and contemporary components of the European far right, social and political attitudes driving its demand, sub-divisions of its supply, internal configuration, aspects of its transnational characteristics, processes and forms of political engagement in far right movements, issues constituting its agenda.
• 2. Relate this theoretical understanding of the far right to empirical data and analyses for more than 3 major industrial countries.
• 3. Demonstrate a good understanding of competing approaches in the explanation of the rise of the far right in Europe.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Explain and evaluate the main methods of data collection and analysis in the study of the far right.
• 5. Demonstrate familiarity with key features of contemporary developed societies that are relevant to the far right phenomenon.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Write analytical essays.
• 7. Present coherent arguments.
• 8. Communicate effectively in your written and oral work.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:

• Defining the far right in Europe: from historical fascism to the contemporary far right
• History of the far right in Europe
• The contemporary populist radical right parties
• The contemporary extremist parties
• Far right social movements and their repertoire of action
• The drivers of demand for the far right vote: economic insecurity
• The drivers of demand for the far right vote: cultural backlash
• The far right and democracy
• The far right and Europe
• Transnational influences in Europe: aspects of the far right domino
• Gendering the far right: female leaders for male voters

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Cas Mudde, Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe. Cambridge University Press, 2007.
• Hainsworth, Paul. The Extreme Right in Western Europe. London: Routledge, 2008.
• Ignazi, Piero. Extreme Right Parties in Western Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.
• Norris, P., & Inglehart, R. (2019). Cultural Backlash: Trump, Brexit, and Authoritarian Populism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Key words search

Far right in Europe, populist radical right, extremist right, economic insecurity, cultural backlash