Research Unit Political Actors and Ideologies

Welcome to the Political Actors and Ideologies Research Unit

The Political Actors and Ideologies Research Unit is dedicated to exploring political dynamics at the intersection of extremism and democracy. Specifically, we study a wide variety of far-right actors, including political parties, movements, and subcultures, analyzing their origins, ideologies, dissemination, and impact on society.

Our work spans the (populist) radical right, extreme right, and tangential forms of anti-democratic politics from a comparative, international perspective. Particular emphasis is placed on the theme of “Everyday Extremism”, i.e., the ways in which far-right ideas and practices become embedded in everyday life, especially – but not exclusively – in relation to cultural issues and gender.

You can find detailed information about our joint and individual research projects on our research site.

The research unit also coordinates the thematic cluster Far-Right Actors, Organizations, and Networks. Feel free to contact us for more information.

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Team
Das Symbolbild zeigt Spielsteine mit der Aufschrift "politics".
Research

News

22.10.2026

The Far Right in the Netherlands: From Breakthrough to Normalisation

DemLab International Webinar with Prof Léonie de Jonge on 22 Oktober at 2 pm local time

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19.10.2026

How far-right parties mobilize against cultured meat. Protecting the prosciutto, saving the schnitzel

New publication by Prof. Dr. Manès Weisskircher and Prof. Dr. Léonie De Jonge in "Environmental…

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12.10.2026

September 2026: Summer Recap Around Europe (w/ Sabine Volk)

Interview with Dr. Sabine Volk in Europe Elects Podcast episode 89

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