Growth of Right Wing Extremism

This literature review explains the concept of structural context, xenophobia, digital communication, populism and radicalisation that has helped in the growth of right wing extremism.

Running head: GROWTH OF RIGHT WING EXTREMISM
Growth of Right Wing Extremism
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1GROWTH OF RIGHT WING EXTREMISM
Introduction
Right-wing politics holds the opinion that social order along with hierarchies is
natural on the basis of natural law. Extremism means the quality of being extreme that is
outside of the mainstream attitude of the society. Right wing extremism believes in the fact
that hierarchy along with inequality are the natural result of that of traditional social
differences. The term called “right-wing” is indicative of conservative section of political
system. The trust of the citizens on the institutions have become low has paved the way for
that of disruptive political forces that has ‘radical’ perspectives (Scrivens & Perry, 2017).
The importance of the topic lies in the fact that it talks about the emergence of right-wing
extremism that has taken place owing to migration. The research questions of the five articles
has been addressed in the assignment by explaining the concept of structural context,
xenophobia, digital communication, populism and radicalisation. This literature review states
that radicalisation, digital communication, populism, xenophobia and the structural context
has helped in the growth of right wing extremism.
Radicalisation of Right Wing extremism across Europe
Right wing extremism has spread across the Europe which can be evident from the
Parliament of Eastern along with Western Europe. The radicalisation of far-right has taken
place because of biographical factors like proneness to the violence. According to Scrivens
and Perry (2017), violent socialisation by making use of internet have path the way for the
growth of Right-Wing politics in Europe. It has been stated by Rose (2018) that radicalisation
can be stated to be a dynamic process which is situated at critical junctures in relation to
biographical, ideological and the structural. There occurs the category of “hate crime” in
trajectory pertaining to violent radicalisation that helps in charting the pathway from non-
violent to that of the violent behaviour. Transformation taking place in environmental context

2GROWTH OF RIGHT WING EXTREMISM
can affect dynamics pertaining to violent radicalisation in far-right in future. According to
Van Assche et al. (2017), new technologies in relation to communication will bring about the
socialization of the radical networks in Europe. The instability taking place in the realm of
mainstream politics have facilitated radicalisation that have fostered new context for that of
far-right radicalisation within Europe.
According to Mudde (2013) the attitude that a nation has towards immigration have
become discordant in the recent age that have paved the way for the growth of Right- Wing
Extremism across Europe. The national agendas are being defined by securitisation agenda
helps in normalising the prejudices that are hostile to the Muslim communities. The lone
actors in far-right are the people who are not secretive and cannot be detected easily. It has
been argued by Rose (2018) that the government should develop long-term policy framework
that can help in tackling the issue of far-right radicalisation. Personalisation of the attacks
acts as a typical feature in relation to the lone actors. The lone actor terrorists make use of
ideology along with personal grievances for the generation of specific worldviews. The issues
related to mental health compels the right-wing extremists for engaging in violence.
Right wing Extremism and Digital Communication
The radical actors make use of internet that helps in the spread of Right Wing
extremism. Online radicalisation acts as a component of that of the broader process of that of
radicalisation. The low cost of Digital communications have paved the way for the
emergence of the factor of Right Wing extremism. The content pertaining to radical right can
help in promoting direct recourse to that of violence. According to Scrivens and Perry (2017),
regular usage of the internet acts as correlate of the support in relation to violent protest
among the large population. The radical-right organisations target the messages that helps in
the shifting of mainstream political attitudes by taking recourse to the internet. Radical right

3GROWTH OF RIGHT WING EXTREMISM
groups will be able to enjoy success because of the activities that they carry out via the online
mode. Online communication has helped in fuelling the growth of right wing extremism by
facilitating dissemination of the extremist material to that of the new constituents. Online
communication has played an important role in strengthening the movements and in
mainstreaming of the fringe ideological points.
Social media has played a crucial role in fuelling internationalisation of the extreme
right-wing movement. Online communication has played a pivotal role in broadcasting the
activities of the right wing extremists to global audience. According to Swindal (2011) the
right wing extremists are making use of sophisticated communication strategies that has
enabled growth of counterculture. It has been stated by Van Assche et al. (2017) that the right
wing extremists have deployed strategies that that has helped in disseminating the
propaganda by marketing ideas to the new constituents. The German elections that took place
in the year 2017 has shown how the network of the trolls can help in the dissemination of
material that can slander political opponents. Online engagement helps in providing
opportunity for the people to get involved in that of far-right extremism.
Populism and Xenophobia
The right wing terrorists have become confident in the present age. Europe is going
through a lot of stress that has manifested itself on the economic, social along with the
political level. The migrants along with minorities are being used as scapegoat and right wing
extremism have grown because of the rhetoric that is made use of by the States. The right
wing parties exhibit differing degrees of aggressiveness and they lay emphasis on the social
themes. According to Van Assche et al. (2017) the far right populists present themselves as
being representative of people and they help in voicing the problems that the citizens face in
the recent times. The right –wing extremists have become popular because of the fact that

4GROWTH OF RIGHT WING EXTREMISM
they rebel against the difficulties that societies have to go through in the recent age. The issue
pertaining to migration along with globalisation are used in the present age that has fostered
the growth of right wing extremism.
The rise of Donald Trump in Europe along with UK’s vote of leaving the European
Union have propelled the growth of right-wing extremism. It has been argued by Swindal
(2011) that the catastrophic events taking place across the world have helped in fuelling
growth of that of right wing extremism. The violence taking place in Federal Republic of
Germany which is motivated by the ultra-right ideas have set the stage for emergence of right
wing extremism. There was the fear in Germany that they would be swamped by the
foreigners that caused them to vote for the right parties. Economic uncertainty along with
unemployment acted as the main drivers of right wing extremism. Xenophobic mentality acts
as strong sounding board that has helped the right-wing parties. According to Mudde (2013)
the hatred that people of a country has towards the immigrants is another important cause that
has to led to the flourishing of the aspect of right wing extremism. The jobs of the workers
have disappeared owing to globalisation that have set the stage for the emergence of right
wing extremism. Free trade agreements along with immigration act as the flashpoint in
relation to the populist fury. The workers believe that their country cares for the goods that
are cheap along with cheap labour that makes the people feel betrayed. This helps in
providing opportunities for the rise of right-wing extremism as the people believe that it can
be helpful in alleviating their suffering.
Structural context
The Islamophobic attacks have resulted in the growth of Islamist-inspired terrorism. It
helps in reflecting shift from that of the broader right-wing extremism. There exist a large
portion of the ‘lone actor’ terrorists who are pre-occupied with the aspect of neo-Nazu

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symbolism. Western European societies have undergone changes drastically since de-
regulation of financial sector. Dominance of the aspect of privatisation of the public utilities
started from the era of 1980. This has paved the path for repurcussions for the youth identities
specially in the arena of the urban sphere. The inner cities act as the site of the diverse
communities. The white communities across the world suffer from the brunt of predicament
that have caused extremism along with radicalisation.
Post-industrialisation have affected the Muslim minority groups in the various cities
of that of Western Europe. According to Rose (2018) that deindustrialisation along with
globalisation have a major impact on Muslim minority groups within inner cities of that of
Western Europe. These concerns play an important part in having effect on the majority
groups who would move to far right political view so that they can get solace. Separating of
white indigenous and the Muslim minority groups exist owing to identity formation at local
along with global level. It helps in revealing distinct layer of the conflict that helps in locking
the groups in a struggle within the society. According to Swindal (2011), most important
denominator that has set the stage for right-wing extremism is the ethno-nationalist idea
pertaining to citizenship. The nativist stance highlight the fact that states should be inhabited
by the members of the native group. It is held that the non-native elements threatens the
existence of the homogeneous nation-states. It has been stated by Mudde (2013) that the
structural context for the emergence of right wing extremism has been set by the emergence
of authoritarianism. Radical right has been able to occupy a new position in the landscape
owing to changing environment. The radical right acts as “third wave” of the right-wing
radicalism in the post-war European democracies. The intellectual movement taking place in
the era of 1970 called New Right acted as force for the spread of the right-wing ideological
renewal. New Right laid stress on the aspect of incompatibility of the cultures that helped in
advocating legitimacy of the European resistance to that of cultural mixing.

6GROWTH OF RIGHT WING EXTREMISM
Conclusion
Right wing politics believes in the fact that social order within the society should be
on basis of the natural law. Right wing terrorism holds the notion that inequality exists in
society on account of traditional social differences. The biological factors have paved the
path for emergence of right wing extremism in the various countries of the world. Violent
socialisation has created the path for growth of that of right wing extremism in Europe.
Online radicalisation acts as an important component that aids the process pertaining to
radicalisation. The digital communications are of low cost that has spread the influence of
right wing extremism. Right wing extremism has emerged to become popular due to rhetoric
that is made use of by the States. Right wing parties lay stress on social themes that helps in
catering them to the group of the people. The right populists help in voicing the concerns of
the people that makes them popular among large section of the population. Post-
industrialisation has an effect on that of minority groups living within Western Europe. The
policies of right wing extremism helps in alleviating the suffering of the people. Globalisation
has a great amount of effect on that of Muslim minority groups who live in the different inner
cities of Western Europe. Right wing extremism has helped in addressing the demands of
these people that has helped in the growth of right wing extremism. It can hence be
concluded that there does not exist any universal factor that has caused the incidence of the
radical right wing shift. Right wing extremism occurs due to radicalisation, populism,
xenophobia, digital communication and digital communication.

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References
Mudde, C. (2013). Three decades of populist radical right parties in Western Europe: So
what?. European Journal of Political Research, 52(1), 1-19.
Rose, M. (2018). THE ANTI-CHRISTIAN ALT-RIGHT. First Things, (281), 1-12.
Scrivens, R., & Perry, B. (2017). Resisting the Right: Countering Right-Wing Extremism in
Canada. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 59(4), 534-558.
Swindal, M. G. (2011). Ideology and Social Position in Poland: The Determinants of Voting
for the Right, 1991–2005. Social Science Quarterly, 92(1), 185-205.
Van Assche, J., Roets, A., De Keersmaecker, J., & Van Hiel, A. (2017). The mobilizing
effect of right‐wing ideological climates: Cross‐level interaction effects on different
types of outgroup attitudes. Political Psychology, 38(5), 757-776.