Cast in the same mold? A comparison between right-wing extremists in South America and Europe

• In Event: EXTR6 Right-wing and jihadist extremist attitudes; comparative approaches

Abstract

Literature on right wing extremism is flooding the study of global terrorism and crime. An increase in violent events in the United States and Europe, especially during the last decade, has strengthened an interest in the analysis of this type of radicalism. Such study is based on a notion of an ‘extreme right’ as experienced by western-liberal democracies in the developed world, with global reach. However, such notion does not fully explain realities in other regions, particularly in South America. Based on the idea that an understanding of ‘the extremes’ is a context-dependent and subjective construct based on each society’s characteristics, evolving through time, this paper compares notions of extremism in western democracies and South America to explore similarities and differences. It explains that even though there is a common doctrinal background, it is more difficult to define what right-wing extremism in Latin America is, and the agendas that fuel extremists on both sides differ. Extremist agendas in the ‘global north’ are fueled by white supremacy, neonazism, anti-immigration, islamophobia, and antisemitism. Many of these have no impact on South America, given social and political configurations. The platform is based on a renewed vision, reminiscent of the Cold War, of socialism or Marxism-Leninism as a threat, which includes an objective to transform the traditional values of societies, including new imposed social norms on sexuality, abortion, indigenism and environmentalism, which intend to destroy catholic conceptions of family, and which threaten capitalism.

Author

• Oscar Palma, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia