Seminar discussion: What impact of the populist radical right on public policies and party positions? 

The lecture discusses empirical studies dealing with the impact of populist radical right parties on public policies (immigration, minority issues, etc.) and mainstream political party positions in both Western and Central and Eastern Europe. It also critically assesses empirical evidence dealing with the reactions (strategies) of established parties to the rise of populist radical right parties and movements and their presence in the parliament or government.

Articles for presentation and discussion:

Abou-Chadi, T., and Krause, W. (2018). The Causal Effect of Radical Right Success on Mainstream Parties’ Policy Positions: A Regression Discontinuity Approach. British Journal of Political Science, 1-19 [online first].

Art, D. (2007). Reacting to the radical right: lessons from Germany and Austria. Party Politics, 13(3), 331–349.

Bale, T. , Green‐Pedersen, C. , Krouwel, A. , Luther, K. R., and Sitter, N. (2010). If You Can't Beat Them, Join Them? Explaining Social Democratic Responses to the Challenge from the Populist Radical Right in Western Europe. Political Studies, 58, 410-426.

Downs, W. M. (2001). Pariahs in their Midst: Belgian and Norwegian Parties React to Extremist Threats. West European Politics, 24(3), 23–42.

Van Heerden, S., De Lange, S. L., Van der Brug, W., and Fennema, M. (2014). The Immigration and Integration Debate in the Netherlands: Discursive and Programmatic Reactions to the Rise of Anti-Immigration Parties. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 40(1), 119-136.

De Lange, S. L. (2012). New alliances: Why mainstream parties govern with radical right-wing populist parties. Political Studies, 60(4), 899–918.

Minkenberg, M. (2001). The radical right in public office: Agenda‐setting and policy effects. West European Politics, 24(4), 1-21.

Pirro, A. L. P. (2015). The populist radical right in the political process: assessing party impact in Central and Eastern Europe. In M. Minkenberg (Ed.), Transforming the Transformation? The East European Radical Right in the Political Process (pp. 80–104). Routledge.

Pytlas, B., & Kossack, O. (2015). Lighting the fuse: the impact of radical right parties on party competition in Central and Eastern Europe. In M. Minkenberg (Ed.), Transforming the Transformation? The East European Radical Right in the Political Process (pp. 105–136). Routledge.

Zaslove, A. (2004). Closing the door? The ideology and impact of radical right populism on immigration policy in Austria and Italy. Journal of Political Ideologies, 9(1), 99-118.