Issue 4, 2003   

Old Dangers - New Paths
How React to Right-Wing Extremism?

Thomas Leif/Peter Kuleßa: On the Boulevard Or In the Study Room? The Difficult Relation between Media and Politics, FJNSB 4/2003, pp. 10-19

Shortcomings and dangers in the current political media coverage are at the heart of Leif's and Kuleßa's essay. They identify trends which might be problematic for public information. The style of popular press has become more and more influential also in quality papers so that relevant and irrelevant information is difficult to separate and personalization dominates factual analysis. The interdependence of politics and media makes the public feel uncertain on political issues. A way out of the dilemma could be that well educated deputies explain the political situation, programmes and alternatives to their constituency.

Roland Roth: Powerful or Useless? Programmes Against Extreme Right-Wing Violence, FJ NSB 4/2003, pp.20-30

Large scale programmes against the extreme right, xenophobia and violence, as implemented by the national government, are a unique experiment to subsidies civil activism. However, this counter mobilization against the extreme right is in danger because of cuts in the budget, though the problems persist. Causes for right-wing extremism are found in political culture. Therefore continues programmes would be necessary. Programmes should be concentrated on long term volunteering and democratic civil society rather than short term effects. The author makes practical suggestions for the effective design of programmes.

Michael Minkenberg: Strategies of Repression against Right-Wing Extremism and Violence, FJ NSB 4/2003, pp. 31-42

Michael Minkenberg presents an evaluation of repressive measures against right-wing extremism and its effects. Repression has a dualistic effect: while since 1990 organised right-wing violence was reduced, at the same time militancy and preparedness for violence increased; also compromise became less likely. Stigmatization of right-wing activity and counter mobilization seem effective especially if they are active in the direct environment of extremists.

Armin Pfahl-Traughber: Right-Wing Extremism as A New Social Movement? Activity and Cooperation of NPD, Neo-Nazi and Skinheads, FJ NSB 4/2003, pp. 43-54

Armin Pfahl-Traughber, who is working for the secret service (Verfassungsschutz), analyses networks and cooperation of the extreme right party NPD, Neo-Nazi groups and Skinheads. He comes to the conclusion that these networks form a new social movement. However, these networks are unable to find resonance in the wider public. Rather the networks seem to stagnate in the forming phase of a movement.

Frank Decker: From Schill to Möllemann. No Chance for Right-Wing Populism?, FJ NSB 4/2003, pp. 55-66

In comparison with parties in other European countries the failure of right populism in Germany is astonishing. Frank Decker looks for reasons for this failure, analysing societal change, institutional framework, resources of the respective actors and political opportunities. The examples of the Schill-party [Ronald Schill was a successful right populist in Hamburg.] and Jürgen W. Möllemann [a right populist within the liberal FDP] can teach a lesson: Though both of them failed to gain national influence it seems that with suitable leading personnel and organizational coherence a right populist party could be successful. Such a party in the immigration country Germany would focus on "foreigners" and "strangers".

Ludger Klein/Bernd Simon: ‚Germany First!' Right-Wing Extremism and Collective Identity, FJ NSB 4/2003, pp. 67-79

Collective identification and clear separation in a well structured social environment are crucial for right-Wing activists. Biographical interviews with members of the extreme right party "Republikaner" and journalists of the right-wing magazine "Junge Freiheit" show, that their political thought and activism is guided primarily by a national identity. Closely connected to this national identity are xenophobic attitudes towards foreigners. Except these extreme right attitudes the interviewed are well integrated members of society and felt a long time represented by established democratic parties. These findings point out the danger of a "radicalisation of the centre of society".