Far-Right Extremism Inside the Government

Session Submission Type: Invited Session (90 minute)

Description

The research in this panel explores the mechanisms and impacts of far-right infiltration of governmental institutions at both the national and local levels. It highlights how extremist ideologies, movements, and constituencies influence governments through overt and covert means. Direct infiltration occurs when individuals with far-right views secure positions of power or when far-right social movements form alliances with elected officials, enabling them to influence policy decisions from within. Indirect infiltration involves strategic efforts to sway public opinion and policy through external channels such as lobbying, think tanks, and media engagement. By examining cases from the U.S. and other countries, the panel provides a thorough analysis of how far-right ideologies are shaping contemporary governance. This reveals a troubling trend of democratic backsliding and legislative actions aimed at many aspects of citizens’ public and private lives, including family and childbirth, education and academic freedom, and undermining initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Additionally, the research in this panel demonstrates how far right governments and populists globally attack gender and sexuality as a primary playbook strategy to present a liberal/progressive left as dangerous or degenerate, winning voters by positioning the right as defenders of tradition, safety, and countering decadence. This panel will conclude with a discussion on policies and proactive measures to safeguard democratic institutions from extremist influences, ensuring that multi-racial democracy and gender equality persist in the 21st century.

Sub Unit

• Special Session

Presider

• Laura Dugan, The Ohio State University

Individual Presentations

• When the Call is Coming from Inside the House: Understanding White Supremacist Infiltration in the Age of Trump - Peter Simi, Chapman University

• Ruling Class Religion: How Christian Nationalism Drives American Plutocracy - Samuel L. Perry, University of Oklahoma

• The Broader Consequences of Far-Right Influences in Places of Power - Theda Skocpol, Harvard University

• The Far-Right Playbook: How Antidemocratic and Authoritarian Leaders Weaponize Gender - Cynthia Miller-Idriss, American University

Session Organizers

• Laura Dugan, The Ohio State University

• Adam Burston, The Ohio State University