In recent years, the illiberal right has gained political ground in many societies. This development confronts research, but also the media, politics and civil society with new challenges regarding the explanation and classification of these phenomena, but also regarding the defense of democratic principles and procedures. These challenges become visible and socially and politically significant in very different ways: at the level of attitudes and mindsets, in the form of rather diverse practices, also in a variety of organizational forms, which include not only parties but also movement and clandestine structures and networks.
The German example points to the diversity and mutability of the manifestations of populist/extreme right-wing or nativist nationalism. In addition, the disclosure of the NSU’s racist murders and subsequent acts of ‘right-wing terrorism’ has underscored the relevance of the topic – not least with regard to the question of how state administrations, democratic parties, civil society actors and the media to counter extreme right and right-wing populist actors and their activities. Finally, the transnational relations and interdependencies as well as the influence of events and developments on the macro-level (international conflicts, refugee movements, political culture) and the meso-level (new formation of groups and movements) cannot be overlooked.
For many years, theoretical, empirical and applied research on these developments has been conducted in the Federal Republic of Germany. However, until now there has been a lack of a regularly appearing, specialized scientific publication outlet that offers a high level of competence in analysis and prognosis able to become the central point of reference for expert debate by providing a forum for innovative work, establishing continuity at a qualitatively high level of academic research and creating a systematic or systematizing overview on research strands. The innovative capacity of the populist/extreme right and its ability to address and focus on a wide range of social issues qualifies it to be treated as an independent field of research – not least with regard to questions of social cohesion.
The journal ZRex is intended to analyze developments of the illiberal, populist or extreme right, to explain them from the perspective of social theory and to make research methods and ethics as well as fields of action (prevention, intervention, repression) in this research field accessible for reflection. The journal is open to interdisciplinary approaches and to exchange with overlapping fields of research – such as anti-Semitism and racism research. In addition, it is intended to provide access to international research debates and societal discourses.
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