Speaking Without Filters: Authenticity, Resonance, and the Moral Foundations of Far-Right Politics

• In Event: 40420 - Section on Political Sociology Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 20: The Politics of the Right Wing 2

Abstract

The past decade has seen the global rise of the far right, a movement that vilifies progressive causes and has entered the political mainstream. Common explanations for its emergence have been criticized for reducing political support to a purely rational activity. An alternative approach highlights the emotional and moral dimensions of political support, emphasizing far-right leaders’ ability to resonate with audiences through their authenticity—the capacity to present themselves as they truly are and speak without filters, in contrast to a political establishment perceived as deceitful and constrained by political correctness. However, explaining the rise of the far right through authenticity and resonance often leads to tautological reasoning, as both concepts are defined by a leader’s public appeal. I argue that this issue stems from an instrumental approach that views authenticity as a means and resonance as an outcome, and that examining how far-right supporters experience this relationship reveals its moral foundations. Focusing on Chilean voters’ perceptions of José Antonio Kast, leader of the country’s Republican Party, I analyze how resonance with a far-right leader’s authenticity shapes supporters’ sense of self, moral values, and political participation. Preliminary results suggest that Kast’s supporters resonated more with his consistency and sense of responsibility than with his conservative values, challenging the idea that authenticity depends on value alignment while highlighting the need to examine how far-right supporters actively construct political leaders’ authenticity.

Author

• Jose Guevara Fino, Stony Brook University