The Ultra-Right: Media, Discourses, and Communicative Strategies| The Ultra-Right: Media, Discourses, and Communicative Strategies—Editorial Introduction

Abstract

This article provides an introduction to the themes, issues, and approaches examined in more detail in this Special Section. We first outline what is specific to the discourses of extreme and ultra-right political actors, and what—we argue—has been missed, or occluded, in academic discussion typically focused on radical-right populism. While we reject media-centric explanations, it is vital to examine, and take seriously, the communicative processes through which the media produce and circulate symbolic messages. Representing a range of disciplinary traditions, the articles included in this section analyze ultra-right communication, media, and discourses in different settings and geographical locations. Collectively, they help us make sense of the extreme-right’s continued influence on contemporary life.