Enquiring Radical Right Across Nations and Territories

ended

Urgent scientific and public questions are arising from the current growth of the populist radical right (PRR) across Europe. First, not much is known about activism and internal functioning of these political organisations, because they have been studied mainly from macro and structural perspectives. A second overlooked element is their strong territorial presence, and their ability to mobilize localism and community attachments, turning them into political consensus. Third, the political growth of PRR is accompanied by unprecedented levels of societal polarization, concerning in particular immigration and gender. ERRANT deals on these three ground-breaking issues, by focusing on two major Western European PRR actors: Lega and Rassemblement National. The research, organized in two qualitative comparative case studies, focuses on two small-medium towns actually dominated by the parties (high electoral scores; institutional power; cultural legitimation). Research goals are i) to shed light on the internal life of the party branches; ii) to reconstruct the dynamics of their local implantation; iii) to analyse the production of socio-political conflicts on immigration and gender. Data collection techniques will be quantitative analysis of electoral and organizational data; analysis of documentary sources; participant observation; in-depth interviews. Through its experimental, yet rigorous research design, ERRANT will singificantly contribute to the development of new, empirically grounded interpretative categories of PRR activism. Basing on an experimental mix of immersion and comparison, this project will also inaugurate a new methodological template for the qualitative research on parties. Finally, the research will generate societal impact, by enhancing awareness and understanding of the growing influence of populist radical right parties across Europe.