K2SP 2020 - From the margins to the mainstream? Right-wing extremism, radicalism and populism

Can democracy accommodate the far right? Until the 1990s, far-right parties enjoyed electoral success in a few European countries and faced marginalization from other political forces. Similarly, far-right street mobilization primarily consisted of small, politically insignificant groups or individuals. Today the far right seems to have moved into the mainstream. Recent global elections have seen a surge in support for political parties advocating nativism, skepticism towards political representation, and the erosion of political pluralism. These parties sometimes form alliances with other political groups, exerting significant influence in public debates. Instances such as the storming of the US Capitol and Brazil's federal government buildings demonstrate how traditional and digital media platforms might provide avenues for right-wing extremists with diverse agendas to mobilize. The complex nature of these phenomena calls for a thorough analysis of the reasons behind the emergence, support, and the ideologies and campaigns of the far-right.

Caterina FROIO

Cours magistral seul

English

The preconditions of the class is to follow European and US politics with keen interest.

Autumn 2024-2025

The course evaluation rests on 3 grades:
•Class participation (10%): Students are expected to come to class and actively participate in the debate of each class by asking questions and commenting on the presentation and readings.
• Student presentation (40%): Based on the compulsory readings, maximum 15 minutes. The topics will be distributed during session 1. The topics of the presentations are broad enough to encourage students to present on real-world, including local-level cases of interest. Upload your presentation on the GDrive the day before (midnight the latest).
• Final exam (50%): Students will write an academic essay on a topic selected from the syllabus (maximum 2000 words, spaces, footnotes, and references excluded, font 12).

It is expected that all sessions will begin on time.
The course follows a format of 2-hour classes with a 10-minute break included. Any instance of plagiarism, which involves directly copying someone else's ideas without proper citation, will result in a failing grade for the course.
A specialized software will be used regularly to detect potential cases of plagiarism in students' assignments.