A discursive approach to the mainstreaming of the radical right
Across Europe, radical right parties have gained influence, entering governments or becoming major opposition forces. Their rise is driven by a political discourse built on three key ideas:
The influence of the radical right extends beyond election results through a process of mainstreaming, where its ideas and communication styles spread beyond its own parties.
This works in two ways: radical right actors often adapt their messages to reach wider audiences, while certain themes and framings also enter mainstream political and media discourse. This political mainstreaming depends on the willingness of established liberal-democratic organizations (e.g., moderate political parties and reputable mass media) to interact with the radical right.
Understanding this dynamic helps explain how political debates in Europe are evolving and how they may shape future policies.
Mainstreaming is not confined to the national level. It also unfolds in cities, cross-border regions, and other subnational spaces where political narratives are actively shaped, contested, and redefined in everyday contexts.
Our research goes into the roots of these dynamics, examining how political discourse and cultural frameworks evolve across different spatial scales and how they interact in transnational settings. You can learn more about our individual projects.
Explored cross-border political discourse and radical right positioning in metropolitan regions of Luxembourg and Switzerland.
R²CULT
Investigates European Capitals of Culture as arenas where political narratives and cultural policy intersect, including potential radical right influence.
Research from these projects has contributed to international journals in political science, geography, media studies, and cultural analysis. Topics include:
This work is carried out in collaboration with our partners:
Project PI at LISER:
Peer-reviewed articles and academic books
Examines radical right discourse on migration across multi-scalar and cross-border European regions.
PhD thesis
Events
Interviews and blogs
